Glitch
by CONTINUUM9
Summary: An unusual glitch causes The Saints to enter the REAL world. Hilarity, drama, action, and romance ensues. Rated M for sex in later chapters. Let me know what you think!
1. Meet the Saints

GLITCH

Chapter 1: Meet the Saints

Daniel walked to his fridge and grabbed a soda. He un-screwed the cap and took a drink. Walking back to the living room he stopped by the thermostat to turn the heat up. All he was wearing was a pair of blue boxers and he was getting cold. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair as he walked back to his recliner. He sat down and picked up the controller next to him. He took another drink and resumed his video game.

It was his only day off in weeks and he was ready to finish one of his favorite games, Saints Row IV. He pushed start and kicked back to watch a cut scene. He had just saved a main character, Kinzie, from being trapped in a nightmarish simulation.

_**"Don't you ever tell anyone what you saw. Do you understand me? "said Kinzie.**_

_**"Kinzie, it really wasn't all that b-" said The Boss.**_

_**"I said ANYONE." said Kinzie pointing a finger at the boss. The picture quit moving.**_

"Fuck!" yelled Daniel when the game froze. This was the fourth time the game had frozen/glitched out on him. He got up and walked to his console.

"C'mon!" said Daniel lightly hitting the console. The console beeped and the television flickered. The cut scene resumed.

_**"You got it." said The Boss. He cocked his head and scrunched his brow."What the fuck?"**_

_**The Boss walked forward and crouched down until his face filled the television screen.**_

"That's...not supposed to happen." said Daniel staring at the TV. He'd played this game several times and never saw The Boss do that before.

**_"Hey." said The Boss. "You. Who are you?"_**

"What the hell is going on?" Daniel asked himself. He pushed START on his controller and nothing happened.

_**"You." said The Boss pointing his finger. "What are you doing? Who the hell are you?"**_

_**Kinzie, Shaundi, Pierce, Ben, Johnny, Matt, and Asha all crowded behind The Boss and looked at Daniel through the television.**_

_**"You. The blonde guy in his underwear." said The Boss. "I'm talking to you."**_

Daniel was dumbfounded. The game was talking to him. How was that possible?

"Me?" asked Daniel pointing to himself.

_**"Yes. You." said The Boss."Who are you? Why are you watching us?"**_

"I don't know what's going on here." said Daniel. "But I'm shutting it off."

Daniel got up and pushed the power button on his console. Nothing happened.

"_**Shutting what off?" asked The Boss staring at him through the screen.**_

"You." said Daniel as he ripped the power cord out of the wall. The Boss looked around in the television.

_**"Nothing happened. We're still here." said The Boss. "Now, who are you?"**_

"I'm losing my mind." said Daniel bringing his hands up to his head.

_**"That's nice, but do you mind telling me what's going on here?" asked The Boss**_.

Daniel stood and stared at the television. The heat kicked on and a blast of warm air hit his body.

**"**_**Did it get hotter in here?" asked The Boss. He raised one eyebrow and looked at Daniel. "Wait a minute."** _

_**The Boss reached out his hand.**_

"What the fuck?!" yelled Daniel. He jumped back as The Boss' hand came out of the television.

**"_Boss?" asked Shaundi._**

_**"Weird." said Kinzie kind of excited.**_

The Boss pushed more of his body out of the television until he was standing in front of Daniel in his living room_._ The Boss looked at his hands and felt his face.

"I feel...textured." he said.

Daniel stood with his mouth agape at what he just saw.

**_"Boss? Are you alright?" asked Shaundi from the television._**

"I'm fine." said The Boss. "Actually, I'm great!"

As soon as he finished his sentence Kinzie was already pushing her way through.

"Trippy." she said looking at her hands. Soon, Pierce, Shaundi, and the rest were all standing in Daniel's living room. They all stared at Daniel.

"Is he okay?" asked Shaundi pointing at him. The Boss walked over to Daniel. Daniel stood still, mouth still agape, and followed The Boss with his eyes. The Boss waved his hand in front of Daniel's face.

"Hey buddy, are you okay?" asked The Boss. "What's your name?"

"D-Daniel." he said.

"Nice to meet you Daniel." said The Boss putting out his hand for a handshake. "These are The Saints and I am their leader."

Daniel slowly shook The Boss' hand.

"Nice to meet you." said Daniel. He turned his head and backed away from them. "I have to sit down for a second."

Daniel sat down in his recliner and rubbed his temples.

"This isn't happening." he said to himself. "This can't be happening."

"What can't be happening?" asked Shaundi. Daniel looked up and stared at her for a moment.

"How the hell are you standing here in my living room?" he asked turning his attention to The Boss.

"We don't know." said Johnny. "Why does everything look so-"

"Different?" asked Kinzie looking around the room. Daniel didn't know what to say.

"You...crawled out of my television." said Daniel after a moment.

"The fuck you say?" asked Pierce. Shaundi looked off to the side and saw a plastic case. She examined it before handing it to The Boss.

"Boss?" she said handing it to him. The Boss grabbed it and looked it over.

"Saints Row IV? I don't remember them making a video game after us." said Pierce looking over The Boss' shoulder.

"They didn't." said Shaundi. All of them looked at Daniel.

"What is this?" asked The Boss holding the game up. Daniel hesitated to answer.

"That's a video game." he said. "I was playing that when you climbed out of the television."

"Wait." said Asha." Are you saying that we're part of that video game?"

Daniel nodded. They all looked at each other. The television flickered behind them.

"I don't think I can take anymore weird shit happening to me. First, the Earth is attacked by aliens, then I get attacked by a 50 foot soda can, now I'm getting told that I'm a fake character in a video game." said Pierce counting each occurrence on his fingers. "Well, I don't know about you, but I can't deal with this shit. I'm going back. I don't care if it's fake or not."

Pierce turned and pushed his head toward the television. 'CLUNK'

"Fuck!" said Pierce rubbing his forehead. "What hell? Why can't I go through?"

The Boss walked over to the television and rubbed the screen with is hand.

"I guess it's a one way trip." said Matt.

"Well, if we weren't real before, we sure as shit are now." said Ben.

"Now what?" asked Kinzie. "Everything we know is there."

"No. Everything we know got destroyed." said The Boss. "Don't you see? This is our chance."

"What are you talking about Boss?" asked Shaundi.

"I'm talking about a chance to rebuild our empire. For REAL." He looked at each one of them. "Think about it. What do we have to go back to?"

They all looked at each other and back at The Boss. He was right. They really did have nothing to go back to.

"What's the plan Boss?" asked Shaundi.

"We do what we did before." said The Boss. "We take what we want."

"You can't do that." said Daniel chiming in.

"What do you mean?" asked The Boss.

"I mean, things are different here." said Daniel. "You can't go around killing people, taking whatever you want. There are consequences here."

"Well then. Why don't you show us how things work?" he asked. He walked over to Daniel and placed his arm around him.

"Put on some clothes." said The Boss looking at Daniel. "You're taking us out tonight."


	2. New Threads

GLITCH

Chapter 2: New Threads

Daniel sat on his bed with his hand clasp together. He could hear the collective murmuring of The Saints down the hall. They wanted to go to a party and Daniel wasn't ready for it.

"Yo!" yelled The Boss down the hall. "Quit jacking off and let's go!"

Daniel slowly got up and grabbed his leather jacket before walking out of the room. The sound of The Saints grew louder as he neared the living room and a huge feeling of dread overwhelmed him.

"Alright, let's go." said Daniel getting The Saints' attention. The Boss turned around.

"Okay, but first we need to stop and get some clothes." said The Boss.

"What?" asked Daniel.

"You don't expect us to go out dressed like this do you?" asked Asha crossing her arms.

"Give me your wallet." demanded The Boss.

Daniel gave him his wallet. The Boss opened it and looked inside.

"$20? That's all you have?" asked The Boss. Daniel shrugged his shoulders. The Boss began flipping through his wallet.

"A library card?" he asked. "Seriously? What are you a nerd?"

The Boss tossed the library card and continued looking through Daniel's wallet.

"Aha!" he said pulling out a credit card. "Just what I was looking for."

He tossed Daniel his wallet and motioned for them to leave. Daniel watched as The Saints followed The Boss outside. Daniel grabbed his car keys and met them out in his driveway.

"I'm sorry for calling you a nerd. " said The Boss when he saw Daniel's car. It was a brand new white sport convertible . "Only someone completely awesome would drive this car."

Daniel nodded his head and walked to towards the driver's side.

"Excuse me, how are we all going to fit in here?" asked Shaundi. Daniel looked around.

"I guess some of you will have to sit in each other's lap." said Daniel as he got in the car. He turned the engine over as The Saints poured in to the small sports car. In the back seat Asha, Matt, Pierce, Ben, Shaundi and Johnny crammed close together. Johnny sat in the middle with Shaundi in his lap. Asha sat to the left of him in Matt's lap while Pierce sat in Ben's lap on the other side. Kinze sat in The Boss' lap in the front.

"Johnny, that better not be what I think it is stabbing me in the back." said Shaundi.

"Sorry, it's been awhile since I've had a woman in my lap." said Johnny.

"Nice." said Shaundi through clenched teeth. She leaned forward closer to the front seat. "Can we get out of here please?"

Daniel looked back at to pull out of the driveway and was eye level with Shaundi's cleavage. He pretended not to notice as he back out, but she knew that he saw. She zipped up her space suit to cover her cleavage and crossed her arms for the entire ride.

xxxxxx

He took them downtown to go shopping. He knew that it was the only place The Boss would approve of. They all poured out of the car and stretched their bodies.

"I am not looking forward to doing that again." said Matt. "Shaundi? Will you trade places with Asha on the way back?" Asha glared at him.

"What?" asked Matt. "You're kinda heavy. I lost feeling in my legs half way here."

"Well, your bony legs jamming into my ass wasn't exactly my idea of fun either." said Asha.

"Yeah, and I didn't want to say anything." said Pierce pointing toward the car. "But someone farted in this bitch."

"Sorry, that was me." said Kinzie politely raising her hand.

"Gurl you nasty." said Pierce.

"Alright that's enough." said The Boss. " Let's go."

The group walked down the street getting weird looks from the people as they passed.

"Man, I can't wait to get out of this jumpsuit and into some real ." said The Boss.

"You and me both Playa." said Ben.

"Where exactly are we?" asked Asha.

"Downtown Los Angeles." said Daniel. He walked beside the group with his hands in his pockets.

"Is there a Steelport in the real world?" asked Ben.

"No." said Daniel. "No Stillwater either. I'm sorry."

Daniel looked at his feet as he walked.

"This looks like a good one." said The Boss walking into a store. The group followed him in and dispersed throughout the aisles. Daniel stood back and waited.

Shaundi, Kinzie, and Asha took off towards the women's section and began thumbing through the selection of clothes. Shaundi pulled out a shirt and held it to her body before puting back on the rack. Daniel watched her from across the store for a moment before a Sales Woman came by to offer him a perfume sample. He politely declined.

"Oh! Look at this!" said Asha as she pulled out a tattered pair of jeans. "This is nice, yeah?"

"Those jeans are full of holes." said Kinzie. "You're paying $100 dollars for something that looks used."

"Yeah, but that's what's so cool about them." said Asha holding them up to her waist. "I think they look trendy. What do you think Shaundi?"

"I'd wear them." said Shaundi. Asha hung the tattered jeans over her left arm and looked over in Daniel's direction. He was slowly pacing the floor with is hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"Look at him over there." said Asha. Shaundi and Kinzie looked up.

"You have to admit." said Asha. "He is kind of cute."

"I'm not really into blonde guys." said Kinzie pulling out a pair of black leather pants.

"If he were wearing leather chaps and a ball gag you'd be singing a different tune." said Asha.

"Put him in leather chaps and a ball gag and we'll see." said Kinzie. "Now, where is the dressing room?"

Kinzie took off carrying the leather pants she found.

"What about you Shaundi?" asked Asha. Shaundi was still looking at Daniel. Daniel caught her looking at him and stopped pacing. He pulled a hand out of his pocket and gave her and awkward wave.

"He's nice." said Shaundi giving a little smile and waving back. She pulled out a pair of black skin-tight jeans and put them on her arm.

"Now all I need is a pair of shoes." said Shaundi.

"Oh, good idea." said Asha as they both took off toward the other end of the store.

xxxxxx

"Nothing." said The Boss. "They don't have a single thing in a shade of purple."

"We can always try a different store?" said Pierce trying on a hat.

"Here Boss." said Ben handing him a purple polo shirt.

"Benjamin Mutha Fuckin' King. You are a life saver." said The Boss grabbing the shirt.

"Hey guys, what do you think?" asked Matt as he did a twirl for the guys to show off the outfit he chose.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any gayer." said The Boss.

"What's wrong with it?" asked Matt.

"Is that a woman's blouse?" asked Johnny.

"It's Unisex!" scoffed Matt before he stomped off down the aisle with his hands to his side.

"Unisex is the only kind of sex that poor kid is ever going to have." said The Boss. "Are you guys ready?"

"I'm done." said Pierce. "Let's go."

Everyone gathered at the checkout and The Boss gave the cashier Daniel's credit card.

"Have a nice day!" said the cashier handing the long receipt to The Boss. He handed the receipt to Daniel. Daniel regretfully took it and shoved it in his pocket.

Now that everyone was dressed and ready, it was time for Daniel to show them the nightlife. Everyone piled into the car in the same way as before. Daniel put the key in the ignition when Pierce screamed.

"Kinzie!" he yelled. A foul smell filled the car and everyone covered their noses. Daniel rolled down the windows.

"I'm sorry!" said Kinzie. "I guess, car rides make me gassy."

"Gurl, you hot and all that." said Pierce covering his nose. "But someone needs to sew yo ass shut."


	3. Party at Batcave

GLITCH

Chapter 3: Party at Batcave

"KINZIE! KINZIE! KINZIE!" A crowd had formed around Kinzie and cheered her on as she downed six shots of tequila.

"WOO! I'm fucked up!" yelled Kinzie as she tossed a shot glass behind her. She turned and grabbed the guy next to her by the collar of his shirt. She pulled him in for a kiss and slid her tongue into his mouth. The guy did the same to her and ran his fingers through her red hair.

"YEAH!" screamed the crowd before Kinzie pushed the guy away to down another shot. Daniel watched her from the bar. He had taken them to Batcave, a club known for it's dark, industrial decor and upscale ambience. He looked around the club and saw Matt passed out in a booth with his mouth hanging open. Pierce was drawing dick pictures on his face using a pen he got from the bar. The rest of the group was on the dance floor. The Boss was dancing with a blonde woman with huge breasts while the others danced amongst themselves. Daniel glanced over the group and stopped to look at Shaundi. She was wearing a white tank top with black skin-tight jeans and a pair of high heeled boots. She had her hair in a ponytail that resembled how it looked in the video game. Shaundi noticed him looking at her and motioned for him to join them. Daniel smiled and shook his head "No." Shaundi rolled her eyes and left the dancefloor.

"C'mon." she said meeting up with him. "Join us. It will be fun."

"I'm fine, you go have fun." said Daniel. Shaundi crossed her arms and pushed her hip to one side.

"Do you not know how to dance?" she asked.

"I know how to dance." said Daniel somewhat defensive. "I just don't dance."

"Then, it's about time you start." said Shaundi. She grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him on to the dancefloor as Each Other by Kelly Rowland began to play. Shaundi moved her hips to the beat. Daniel didn't know what to do. He just bobbed his head. Shaundi grabbed his hands and tried to get him to move.

"I feel uncomfortable doing this!" yelled Daniel over the music.

"Loosen up!" said Shaundi. "You're wound too tight!"

"This isn't really my thing!" said Daniel leaning in close to her ear. "I'm more of a watch from afar kind of guy!"

"Where's the fun in that?!" asked Shaundi as she pulled him closer to her. Daniel couldn't help but look at her breasts. A strap from her tank top had fallen off her shoulder and showed part of her bra. Her boobs bounced with each movement she made. Daniel's eyes widened and he quickly looked away.

"I-uh-need to go to the men's room!" said Daniel. "I'll be right back!"

"Okay." said Shaundi as she watched him leave. She noticed a man start to dance up close to her.

"Hi." he said smiling. Shaundi smiled back.

"Hi." she said.

"What's your name?" asked the man. He was still dancing to the music.

"Shaundi."

"Nice to meet you Shaundi." said the man. "I'm Greg."

"Nice to meet you too Greg." said Shaundi. Greg looked at her and furrowed his brow.

"You look awfully familiar. I swear I've seen you somewhere before." said Greg.

"I wouldn't doubt it." said Shaundi as she danced closer to him.

xxxxxx

Daniel quickly made his way to the bathroom and locked himself in a stall. He sat down on the toilet and put his head in his hands. His heart was racing.

"What the fuck is going on?" he asked himself. "I'm hanging out with video game characters."

"Shut the fuck up man!" said a voice in the stall next to him. "I'm trying to get head here!"

Daniel looked down and saw 2 feet and 2 knees under the stall wall. His eyes grew wide again and he brought his hands up to grab his hair. He let out a breath and felt his phone vibrate in his jacket pocket. He pulled it out and answered it.

"Hello?" he asked quietly.

_"Danny!" said a voice on the other side. "It's Andrew, where the fuck are you man?"_

"I'm in a bathroom having a mental breakdown. Why?" said Daniel.

_"I've been trying to reach you for hours man! You'll never guess where I am!" said Andrew._

"Where?" asked Daniel.

_"Vegas baby!" said Andrew. "Trish and I got married!"_

"Congradulations, and to think you only met her two weeks ago at a Hooters." said Daniel.

_"I know man, it's crazy!" said Andrew. "Now what's going on? Where are you?"_

Daniel was quiet for a moment.

"Andrew, if you were out at club with a group of people that didn't exist, what would you do?" asked Daniel.

_"Are there chicks in that group?" _

"3." said Daniel.

_"Are they hot?"_

"Very."

_"Hmmm, I guess I'd get shitfaced and hope for a foursome. Then I'd check myself in to the nearest mental hospital." said Andrew. Daniel could hear another voice in the background. "Look man, I gotta go. Have fun with your imaginary friends!"_

Daniel hung up and clenched his cell phone in his fist.

"Yo Dan!" yelled The Boss swinging the bathroom door open. "You in here?!"

"Jesus Christ! Can't a man get a blowjob in peace?!" yelled the guy in the stall next to Daniel.

"I'll be out in a minute." said Daniel putting his phone in his pocket.

"Hurry up! We just ordered a round of shots!"

Daniel heard the door close and he stood up.

"Here goes nothing." said Daniel before opening the stall door. He walked out of the bathroom and saw The Saints crowded around a table. Matt was still passed out with several dick pictures on his face. Daniel walked up and stood in between Ben and Johnny. He glanced at Shaundi across the table and gave her an awkward smile.

"Alright, I know we didn't exist until today, but we're making the best of it!" said The Boss. He raised up his glass and the rest followed suit. "Here's to us rebuilding our empire! We're The Saints and we're fucking here to stay! The REAL world doesn't know what it has coming to it!"

The Boss threw back his glass and chugged it down. The rest of The Saints did the same. Daniel stared at his glass.

"Go on man!" said Pierce. "Drink!"

Daniel picked up his glass and looked around the table at each of The Saints. He looked back at his drink and took a deep breath.

"Mental hospital, here I come." said Daniel before taking a drink. He continued to chug it until the glass was empty.


	4. Gingerbread Muffin

**NOTE: I introduced 3 new characters in this chapter. There's also something at the end that I hope doesn't scare anyone off. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 4: Gingerbread Muffin'

(DING DONG)

Daniel opened his eyes. He was laying face down on the couch in a puddle of drool. He sat up and rubbed his temple. His head was pounding. He squinted his eyes and looked around his living room. Everything looked the same, just a bit blurrier, and there wasn't a Saint in sight.

(_DING DONG)_

"I'm coming." murmured Daniel as he stood up to answer the door. His shirt was missing, but he still had on his jeans. His legs felt like jelly and each step he took felt like his feet would sink through the floor.

(_DING DONG)_

"I'm coming, hold on." said Daniel as he fumbled with the locks. He opened the door to see his parents and his little brother, Lewis.

"See, I told you he wouldn't be ready." said Lewis. Daniel's eyes had a hard time adjusting to the sunlight and he put a hand in front of his face.

"Sweety, don't tell me you forgot about Sunday brunch...are you feeling okay?" asked his Mother placing a hand on Daniel's cheek. He looked more like his mother than his father. The only thing he got from his dad were his blue eyes.

"Yeah, you look like shit." said his Father. He lightly pushed Daniel aside to walk into the house. Lewis and his mother followed him in before Daniel closed the door.

"I didn't sleep well." said Daniel rubbing his eyes. "I had the craziest dream."

"It's all that work you've been doing lately. It's getting to you." said his mother as they walked into the kitchen. His mother looked around.

"You really need to redo this kitchen. White is just so...plain." she said pointing to the walls. His kitchen was _plain _to his mother, but not to him. It had white walls with stainless steel appliances and dark wood cabinets. The only room in the house that had any color was his bedroom. He'd painted it red.

"It's fine Ma." said Daniel. "I like it this way."

"You'll never be able to bring a woman back to your house with it looking like this. You need to spruce it up a bit." said his mother. She began digging through the cabinets.

"What are you looking for?" asked Daniel.

"I'm going to make coffee." said his Mother. Daniel reached into the cabinet behind him and pulled out a container of coffee beans.

"That's not that gourmet shit is it?" asked his Father. "I hate that stuff."

"No, it isn't." said Daniel leaning against the counter. He looked over at Lewis who was texting on his phone. Lewis was a senior in high school and spent all his free time with his girlfriend. He spent all his time texting her when they weren't together.

"So, what is this new project you've been working on?" asked his Father.

"It's a new bionic arm for amputees." said Daniel. "I'm still working out the kinks, but I should have it finished by the end of the month."

"How much are you getting paid?" asked his Father. "Lord knows you need the money."

"Dad, I'm fine. I have plenty of money." said Daniel crossing his arms.

"How much are you getting paid?" asked his Father again.

"I haven't been able to find a buyer yet." said Daniel. "That whole business with Brandon kind of ruined my reputation."

"See? I knew it." said his Father. "I told you not to trust that kid."

"Arthur, don't start." said his Mother.

"No Marie, our boy did all the work for that Brandon kid, and then he gets stiffed. Brandon took all the credit and threw our son under the bus. Now, he's a millionaire and Daniel is flat broke." said his Father.

"Brandon was just doing what was best for him. He was living in a halfway house at the time." said Daniel.

"Don't make excuses for that little shit. Just because you're a good guy who was raised to have good morals, doesn't mean you can't be pissed off about it." said his Father.

"I'm through being pissed. I've moved on. I've been fixing computers and, though it's not much, it's been keeping me afloat until I can find someone to buy my product." said Daniel.

"Yeah...I'd still like to jam my foot up that Brandon kid's ass." said his father. Daniel's mother brought his Father a cup of coffee and sat in his lap.

"Don't be afraid to come to us if you need help." said his Mother.

"Ma, you bought me a car and even that was too much." said Daniel as he stepped away from the counter. "I'll be fine."

As soon as Daniel finished his sentence Shaundi came into the kitchen wearing nothing but her tank top and a pair of panties. She opened the fridge and bent down to observe its contents. Her ass stuck out behind the open fridge door.

"Son? Do you mind telling us who this is?" asked his Father as he pointed to Shaundi. Daniel turned his head and did a double take.

"Uhhhh." said Daniel. Lewis looked up from his phone as Shaundi closed the fridge and faced the family.

"Way to go bro!" said Lewis. He had a huge grin on his face as he put his phone in his pocket.

"Hi." said Shaundi giving a little wave.

"Hello." said Daniel's mother. "I'm Daniel's mother, Marie. This is his father Arthur and his little brother Lewis."

"I'm not so little." said Lewis winking at Shaundi. Daniel stood completely still with his mouth wide open. Shaundi looked at him and stepped forward.

"I'm Shaundi." she said putting out her hand. Arthur shook it.

"Nice to meet you Shaundi. Our son didn't tell us he had such a...what's the word I'm looking for?"

"Hot." said Lewis.

"Attractive." said Arthur glaring at Lewis. "Girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" asked Shaundi. "No, I'm-"

"Can I talk to you in the other room for a minute?" asked Daniel grabbing her by the arm. He turned to his family. "Excuse us."

He pulled Shaundi into the living room and turned to look at her.

"What the FUCK?" he said in a high whisper. "You're real?"

"I am now. What? Did you forget about yesterday?" asked Shaundi.

"I thought it was a dream!" said Daniel in a slightly louder tone. "How am I going to explain you to my parents?"

"Tell them the truth." said Shaundi.

"Tell them you crawled out of my television? Oh yeah, I'm sure that would go over perfectly." said Daniel sarcastically.

"What would go over perfectly?" asked Asha walking into the room. Daniel jumped when he heard her voice.

"What the hell? Do you guys just appear out of thin air?" asked Daniel. Asha smiled and crossed her arms. She was wearing nothing but a bra and panties.

"Why is everyone in their underwear?" asked Daniel looking at the two of them.

"I don't know how you can wear clothes here." said Asha. "They're so itchy."

"You get used to it." said Daniel.

"Son?" asked Arthur coming into the room. He saw Shaundi and Asha standing there in their underwear. Soon Lewis came into the room. He smiled and put his hands up to his mouth when he started laughing.

"Dude! I never knew you were so cool!" said Lewis. Daniel's mother walked into the room when she heard the commotion.

"What's going on-oh my!" she said when she saw Shaundi and Asha.

"Mom, Dad, I know what this looks like, but I swear that it's not what you think." said Daniel.

"Don't worry son." said Arthur placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "There was a time when I was able to handle two girls at once...those were good times."

"You're a grown man. Your sex life is none of our business." said Marie.

"We'll cancel the brunch." said Arthur. "I'm sure you'll want to get back to...whatever it is you were doing. We'll reschedule for another time."

"I just need to go to the bathroom and we'll get out of your hair." said Marie as she took off down the hall. "It's the first door right?"

"No ma, that's my bedroom." said Daniel. His mother didn't answer him. "Ma?"

"Aaahhhh, OH MY GOD!" she yelled when she opened the door. Daniel took off down the hallway to see what was wrong. His mother slammed the door and looked at him.

"I'll just chalk this up as you being under too much stress." she said patting Daniel's cheek. "Goodbye sweetheart."

She kissed his cheek and left the house. Arthur gave his son a pat on the back and followed her out. Lewis stood and stared at Shaundi and Asha.

"You two look familiar." said Lewis pointing a finger at them. "Have you ever done porn?"

"I've never done porn, but she has." said Asha pointing to Shaundi.

Shaundi glared at Asha and pursed her lips together. Arthur came back in the house and grabbed Lewis by the arm.

"Quit admiring your brother's trophies and let's go." said Arthur. He turned to them. "Lovely meeting you young ladies."

"Bye son!" he yelled down the hallway to Daniel before dragging Lewis out of the house. Daniel didn't answer. He was stunned at the scene in his bedroom.

Pierce, Ben, and Kinzie were in his bed. All three were naked. Their clothes were all over the floor except for Kinzie's bra which was hanging from the ceiling fan.

"Oh...my...God." said Shaundi peeking over Daniel's shoulder.

"Uhhhh" groaned Pierce as he sat up in bed. "What happened? And why does my ass hurt?"

He looked beside him at Ben and Kinzie.

"What the fuck?" he said scooting away from them. His leg hit something under the sheets and he pulled it out. It was a cucumber. Pierce manipulated it in his hands and stared at it.

"What the fuck is this?" he asked as Ben stirred awake.

"Good morning my little Ginger Bread Muffin'" said Ben as he stretched his arms.

"What the fuck did you just call me?!" asked Pierce. Ben shot up and looked at him. They both stared at each other for a moment before screaming and scrambling out of bed. Kinzie sat up and looked around.

"What's going on?" she asked. Pierce and Ben glared at her.

"Kinzie! I'm gonna kill you!" yelled Pierce. He threw the cucumber at her before leaping towards her. Shaundi rushed into the room to pull him off.

"She shoved that in my ass!" yelled Pierce when he remembered what happened. "She ain't kinky, she's just nasty!"

Daniel stood in the doorway and watched Shaundi hold back a naked Pierce while Kinzie tried to grab her bra from the ceiling fan.

"How much did we drink last night?" asked Asha as she watched beside him. Daniel didn't speak. He slowly back away from his room and walked down the hall.

"Where are you going?" asked Asha.

"To get a cup of coffee." said Daniel. "Then I'm going to find a hammer and hit myself over the head with it."


	5. Declined

GLITCH

Chapter 5: Declined

Daniel poured himself a cup of coffee and turned to look at the kitchen table. Shaundi, Asha, Pierce, Ben, and Kinzie were all sitting quietly trying to avoid each other's eyes. Pierce quickly glanced at Kinzie before adjusting himself in his seat.

"I said I was sorry." said Kinzie. Pierce pretended to ignore her.

Daniel leaned against the counter and slowly sipped his coffee. Everyone else was dressed, but he was still shirtless. His jeans drooped down and showed the elastic of his underwear. Daniel wiped a bit of coffee from his mouth and ran his hand along his cheek. He needed a shave.

"Ugh" groaned Johnny as he walked into the kitchen. His hair was messy and he had vomit all down the front of his shirt. "I feel like shit."

"Is all that from you?" asked Shaundi motioning to the throw up. Johnny looked down.

"I thought I smelt something funky." said Johnny as he took off his shirt. "This is from Matt."

"Where is Matt anyway? We haven't seen him." asked Asha. Daniel grabbed a plastic shopping bag for Johnny to put his shirt in.

"He's passed out in the shower." said Johnny putting the shirt in the bag.

"AAAHHHH!" yelled Matt from the bathroom. "What happened to my face?!"

"Not anymore." said Asha. "Sounds like he just noticed Pierce's artwork."

The sounds of running footsteps grew louder as Matt neared the room. He stood in the archway connecting the living room and the kitchen.

"Who did this?!" he screamed pointing to the crudely drawn penis on his face. Pierce looked around the room and acted like it wasn't him. Daniel got out a wash cloth and ran it under hot water before handing it to Matt.

"Here, try to wash it off." said Daniel handing it to him. Matt ripped it from Daniel's hands and began scrubbing his face. Soon, The Boss entered the room and let out a huge burp.

"Nice." said Shaundi slightly disgusted.

"Ugh, why do I feel like shit?" asked The Boss as he stumbled to the table.

"You've never had a hangover before?" asked Daniel taking another sip of coffee.

"Is this what a hangover feels like? It sucks balls." said The Boss as he put his head on the table. "How was everyone elses night?"

No one said a word. Pierce crossed his arms and Kinzie looked down at her lap. Ben just sat in his chair acting like nothing happened.

"Jeez, what crawled up your asses?" asked The Boss when he didn't get an answer.

"What's that supposed to mean mutha fucka?" asked Pierce. The Boss lifted his head and looked at Pierce.

"I mean...it was ah-ight." said Pierce when he noticed Kinzie and Ben giving him an evil look.

"It's not coming off!" yelled Matt as he furiously scrubbed his face. He was looking at himself in the toaster. The Boss looked at Matt and laughed.

"It's not funny!" screamed Matt as he scrubbed harder.

"Don't rub that thing too hard." said The Boss. "You don't want more of a mess on your face."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny." said Matt with sarcasm. The Boss sat up in his chair as his stomach growled.

"Dan, do you have anything to eat in this dump?" he asked.

"I don't keep much, but we can go out to eat if you're hungry." said Daniel. He closed his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't offered to take them out.

"Sounds great!" said The Boss. "Put on a shirt and let's go."

Daniel sighed and put down his cup of coffee before turning to Johnny.

"C'mon. You can borrow one of my shirts."

xxxxxx

"Man, this is so good!" said Asha as she stuffed her face with bacon. "I've never tasted anything like this before!"

"You've never had food before?" asked Daniel. "What about Freckle Bitch's? Didn't they serve food?"

"Yeah, but I don't remember it tasting like this." said Ben with his mouth full. "The texture of it is different too."

Daniel watched as the group scarfed down their food. He had taken them to Denny's for breakfast. He wasn't fond of their food, but it was cheap.

"Wow, you guys were really hungry weren't you?" asked The Waitress when she brought the check. Daniel reached into his wallet and pulled out his credit card. He handed it to her and looked back at The Saints. They were leaning back in their chairs with empty plates in front of them.

"Dan my man, that was an awesome meal." said The Boss. Shaundi looked up at Daniel and smiled in agreement.

"I'm glad you liked it." said Daniel looking at her. He didn't notice the waitress standing next to him.

"Your card was declined." said The Waitress. Daniel grew stiff.

"Dude, give her another credit card." said The Boss.

"I don't have another one and I don't have enough cash to cover it." said Daniel leaning closer so the waitress wouldn't hear.

"Shit. Now what do we do?" asked The Boss. He and Daniel looked at each other and around the table.

"Well, how are you going to pay for this?" asked The Waitress. Daniel leaned back in his chair and looked at her.

"Ummmm." he said before standing up. Without thinking he bolted for the exit. The Boss and the rest of The Saints did the same.

"Go! Go! Go!" yelled Daniel as they raced for his car.

The Boss ran passed him and jumped through windshield and into the car. Daniel's jaw dropped. He ran up to the side of the car and stared at the damage.

"What the hell did you do?!" he screamed as the rest scrambled into the car. The Boss looked at him through the broken windshield.

"I took a short cut." said The Boss.

"It was unlocked!" yelled Daniel.

"It seemed easier than the door." said The Boss as Kinzie crawled into his lap.

"You Bo-Dukened my car!" yelled Daniel. The Boss looked at him.

"Do you really want to talk about this now?" he asked as the Manager from Denny's ran out into the parking lot. Daniel looked at him and quickly got in the driver's seat before speeding out of the parking lot.

Once he was a safe distance from the restaurant he pulled over and turned the car off. He sat quietly in the driver's seat with his hands gripping the steering wheel turning his knuckles white. Shaundi noticed how tense he was and hit The Boss on the arm to get his attention. The Boss turned to look at her and she pointed to Daniel. Daniel was breathing heavily.

"Dude, it's okay. It's just a car." said The Boss. Daniel turned to look at him.

"Kinzie, move out of the way." said Daniel calmly. "I don't want you to get hurt when I RIP THE BOSS' HEAD OFF!"

Daniel lunged out of his seat and Shaundi crawled to the front of the car. She placed her hand on Daniel's chest and lightly pushed him away from The Boss. Daniel looked at Shaundi.

"Calm down." said Shaundi looking into his eyes. She felt him relax under her hand. "We're sorry about your car. He didn't know any better."

Daniel continued to look at Shaundi and sighed. He placed his hands back on the steering wheel and, without a word, started the car. He didn't speak for the entire drive home.


	6. No Money, No Choice

**Note: This chapter is a bit more serious than the others, but it gives more insight into what Daniel does for a living. It also sets up a key point for the next chapter. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 6: No Money, No Choice

Daniel pulled into his driveway and got out of his car. He didn't say a word to anyone as they walked up to his front door.

"Dude, he's really pissed off." said Pierce quietly to The Boss. The Boss nodded his head agreeing with him. Daniel opened his front door and left it open. The Saints stood outside for a minute before slowly walking inside.

Inside Daniel was unplugging his gaming console from the television. He picked it up and began walking toward his basement.

"What are you doing?" asked Ben as Daniel pushed passed. He didn't answer. He opened his basement door and slammed it behind him. The Saints stood staring at the direction Daniel left.

"Good job Boss." said Shaundi as she crossed her arms.

In the basement, Daniel placed his gaming console on his work desk. He picked up a remote for his iPod station and turned on some music. Breath by Breaking Benjamin began to play and he turned the volume up on max. He started taking the console apart to examine the inside.

xxxxxxxx

"He's been down there an awfully long time." said Asha. "Someone should go talk to him."

"You're right." said Pierce turning to Shaundi. "Shaundi, go talk to him."

"Why me?" asked Shaundi. "I'm not the one he's pissed at."

"That's right." said Ben. "And that's why YOU should be the one to talk to him."

"What makes you think he'll even talk to me?" asked Shaundi.

"Because he listens to you." said The Boss. "He wanted to kick my ass, but you stopped him."

"Fine." said Shaundi. "But next the next time he wants to kick your ass, I'm keeping my mouth shut."

"Fair enough." said The Boss.

Shaundi turned to leave when The Boss stopped her.

"Hey, if he doesn't want to come up, maybe you could flash him your tits. That should cheer him up." said The Boss. Shaundi ignored him and walked towards the basement. The sound of music grew louder the closer she came to the door. She opened the door and walked down the stairs.

When she reached the bottom of the stairwell she was greeted with what looked like a scene from a science fiction movie. Wires and monitors lined the walls of the small square room. In the center of the room was a metal desk covered with tools and several computer towers. On another work desk against the wall was an arm. It was flesh colored with a rectangle cut into it. Inside the rectangle were a series of wires. Shaundi looked around the room and saw Daniel at another table looking under a giant magnifying glass.

"What is all this stuff?" asked Shaundi. Daniel looked up and stared at her for a moment before looking back down at the magnifying glass.

"This is where I work." said Daniel. He picked up the remote and turned down the music.

"What exactly do you do?" asked Shaundi walking up to the robotic arm. She reached out and lightly ran her fingers across the lenghth of the arm.

"I build things." said Daniel. He looked up and saw Shaundi touching the arm. "That's a project I've been working on."

"What are you doing?" asked Shaundi turning around. "Building a robot?"

Daniel let a quick breath of air and smiled.

"Kind of." said Daniel. He picked up part of his console and examined it under the magnifying glass. "It's a robotic arm for amputees. When I'm finished, it should work just like a real arm."

"So, your some kind of genius." said Shaundi as she walked up to him. She stood behind him and looked over his shoulder.

"I wouldn't call myself a genius, but I do have a love for engineering." said Daniel. "If only I could make money off of it."

Shaundi watched as Daniel examined the console.

"What are you doing?" asked Shaundi.

"I'm trying to figure out what happened and why you're here." said Daniel. "If I can figure out what went wrong, maybe I find a way to send you back."

"But...we don't want to go back." said Shaundi. Daniel sighed.

"You don't belong here. You belong in here." he said pointing to the console. "You belong in the video game."

"No." said Shaundi placing a hand on his shoulder. "We don't."

Daniel turned in his chair and looked at her.

"You don't know how things work here." said Daniel. "And I can't babysit you. I can't even take care of myself."

"We know you're upset about your car. The Boss is sorry." said Shaundi.

"I'm not upset about my car." said Daniel. "I mean, it sucks that he crashed through my windshield, but that's not the problem. What happened at breakfast only cemented the fact that I am on my last leg. If I can't find someone to fund my project, I'll lose my house. I'm already behind on payments as it is."

"I'm sorry." said Shaundi. "I know you're going through a rough time, but you have to remember that we are too. We just found that we don't really exist and it's going to take us some time to get used to how things work here. We don't want to go back. We want to stay. All we ask is that you be a little patient."

Daniel leaned back in his chair.

"Please." said Shaundi. "Give us a few days and if we don't like it here, then you can find a way to get us back.".

"Okay." said Daniel.

"Thank you." said Shaundi softly as The Boss came down the basement steps.

"So, did you convince him to forgive us?" asked The Boss walking up to Daniel's work desk. Shaundi looked down at Daniel.

"I forgive you." said Daniel. Soon the rest of The Saints came into the basement.

"Wow!" said Kinzie looking around the room. "I feel like I'm home."

"What is this place?" asked Johnny.

"This is where I work and I'd appreciate it if you didn't touch anything." said Daniel when he noticed Pierce picking up a drill. Pierce put it gently back on the table.

"Look, now that everything is okay between us, we really need to think about getting some money." said The Boss. "We're going to need it when we take this place over."

"How do plan on doing that?" asked Daniel. "I'm flat broke."

"Which is why we're going to rob a bank." said The Boss. "All we need are some masks and a few guns."

"Yeah, and how do you plan on getting guns?" asked Daniel. "You going to rob a gun store?"

"C'mon man, work with us. You need the money just as bad as we do." said The Boss. "We can help each other out."

"I don't need any help." said Daniel.

"Hey what's this thing?" asked Pierce picking up the bionic arm. Daniel turned around and his eyes grew wide.

"Pierce, put that down." said Shaundi.

"Okay, okay. Don't get your panties in a twist." said Pierce as he placed it back on the table. Daniel relaxed and took a deep breath before a loud thump and the sound of metal hitting the floor filled the room.

"Oops. My bad." said Pierce. The arm rolled off the table and broke into two pieces on the floor. Daniel walked over and picked up the severed arm.

"Man I'm sorry." said Pierce backing away from Daniel to stand behind Ben. Daniel closed his eyes remembering the promise he made to Shaundi. He opened his eyes and looked down at the broken arm. He really didn't have much of a choice.

"I think I know where we can get some guns." said Daniel.


	7. A Bright Idea

**NOTE: I rewrote this chapter. The more I thought about it the more I realized that it didn't like the way it turned out. I rewrote it and I feel that it fits the tone of the other chapters better than before. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you enjoy the redo of chapter 7. I'm still working on chapter 8. It's a pretty eventful chapter and I think you'll enjoy it :)**

GLITCH

Chapter 7: A Bright Idea

Daniel sat quietly in his car with his hands clasp together in his lap. He had taken The Saints to a friend's house and was still contemplating on whether to get out of the car. A gust of wind blew through the broken winsheild and hit him in the face. Shaundi leaned forward in the backseat.

"Daniel?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine." said Daniel. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" asked Kinzie. Daniel took a deep breath.

"Yeah." sighed Daniel. "Let's go."

They got out of Daniel's car and made up the sidewalk of a small white house. In the driveway was an old grey van.

"Where are we?" asked Asha.

"This is a friend's house." said Daniel. "He should be able to help us."

"You don't sound too sure about that." said Matt. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing." said Daniel. "He's just...different."

He rang the doorbell a few times and didn't get an answer.

"Maybe he's not home." said Matt.

"No, his car is in the driveway. He's home." said Daniel. He tried the doorbell a few more times until he heard a voice on the other side.

"I'm coming! I'm coming! Calm your tits!" said the voice. It was Daniel's friend Andrew. He opened the door and took a long drag of a marijuana joint.

"What do you want?' asked Andrew blowing smoke into Daniel's eyes. Daniel waved his hand infront of his face.

"It's Daniel man." said Daniel. Andrew looked confused.

"Daniel?" asked Andrew. "Oh Danny! Right, what's going on man?"

"Nothing much." said Daniel. "We were wondering if you could help us out."

"Sure man, come on in." said Andrew. The group made there way inside and were greeted with what looked like an episode of Hoarders. Towers of paper lined the walls and garbage covered the floor.

"Welcome to Casa De Andrew." he said. "Sorry about the mess. I haven't had a chance to clean up."

Shaund kicked a pair of dirty underwear to the side with her foot before turning to Andrew.

"Are you sure this guy can help us?" she asked in a low whisper. Daniel nodded his head.

"So Danny, are these the imaginary friends you were at the club with the other night?" asked Andrew taking another puff of his joint.

"Uh, yeah." said Daniel. Andrew looked at Asha and winked at her. Asha took a step back raised her upperlip in disgust.

"Well, they look pretty real to me." said Andrew. Daniel looked around the house.

"Where's Trish?' asked Daniel.

"Who?" asked Andrew.

"Your wife." said Daniel.

"Oh, right. I decided married life wasn't for me. We decided to go our separate ways." said Andrew turning to Shaundi. He nodded his head toward her. "How you doin'?"

"Gross." said Shaundi in disgust.

"You wanna puff?" asked Andrew holding out the joint.

"Um, no thanks." said Shaundi pushing his hand away.

"You're a few years too late pal." said The Boss. Andrew pulled his hand back and inhaled another puff. "You would've been just her type too."

"Oh well, Maybe another time then." said Andrew before turning to Daniel. "Now, what is it you need help with?"

"Do you...still have that gun collection your father left you?" asked Daniel. Andrew exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Yeah." said Andrew. "What? Do you want to borrow a few?"

"Yes." said Daniel. Andrew squinted his eyes and looked at each of them. He leaned in close to Daniel.

"Hey man, are they trustworthy?" asked Andrew. Daniel turned to look at The Saints.

"Somewhat." said Daniel. Andrew squinted his eyes again in suspicion.

"You guys aren't going to do anything illegal are you?' he asked.

"Very." said Daniel. Andrew stepped back and took another drag off his joint.

"Okay." said Andrew exhaling. "Follow me."

The group weaved through the towers of filth and followed Andrew to his basement. Once they were all downstairs, Andrew turned on the lights and illuminated an armory of guns.

"Pick one." said Andrew. The Saints spread out and began picking through the piles of guns.

"I didn't realize how many guns you're father had." said Daniel looking around the room.

"Yeah." said Andrew. "He was a bit of a collector."

Daniel found a 9 mm handgun lying on the table and picked it up.

"Yo Danny? You ever used one of those before?" asked Andrew.

"I shot a squirrel with a air soft bb gun once." said Daniel. "I wound up taking the squirrel to the vet afterwards."

"Now this is nice." said The Boss picking up an SMG.

"I'm glad you like it." said Andrew before taking another puff off his joint. He turned to see Kinze picking up a shotgun. "Think you can handle yourself with something that big?"

"I've had bigger." said Kinzie. She glanced at Pierce and he quickly turned away from her. He proceeded in picking up a pistol.

"I bet you have." said Andrew smiling. Kinzie smiled back at him. Andrew turned back to the group. "What exactly are you guys planning to do?"

"We're going to rob a bank." said Matt picking up a small pistol.

"Matt, shut the fuck up." said Johnny hitting him in the arm. Matt grabbed his arm in pain.

"Woah." said Andrew. "Are you serious?"

Andrew turned to Daniel.

"Daniel, I know you're hurting for money, but robbing a bank?" asked Andrew.

"I don't have a choice man. I have nothing in the bank and I'm behind on bills." said Daniel.

"What about that arm thing?" asked Andrew. Daniel turned to look at Pierce.

"Man, I said I was sorry!" said Pierce defensively.

"That _arm thing _is no longer an option." said Daniel leaning against the wall. "I don't know what else to do."

"What about your parents?" asked Andrew.

"They almost went bankrupt when they bought me that car." said Daniel. "I can't ask them for money."

Andrew was silent for a moment before a mischevious look took over his face.

"I have an idea." said Andrew putting out his joint on the table.

"What?" asked Daniel. Andrew gave him a devilish smile before grabbing a gun.

"C'mon." said Andrew."We'll take my car."

Daniel watched as Andrew ran up the basment steps. He and The Saints exchanged curious looks.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" asked Daniel before picking up his handgun before following Andrew up the steps.


	8. That Shit Brandon

**NOTE: I'm sorry for taking so long to post this chapter. We had a bad storm roll through my town and the internet cut out on me. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 8: That Shit Brandon

The Saints piled into Andrew's van and a pungent smell filled their nostrils.

"Holy Fuck! What the fuck is that smell?" asked The Boss covering his nose as he climbed into the van. Shaundi climbed in after him and sat down in between Kinzie and Matt. Pierce was still upset with Kinzie and sat as far away from her as possible in the very back of the van.

"Seriously man, that's fucking nasty." said Johnny waving a hand infront of his face to disperse the smell. He was sitting next to The Boss in the third row of of seats in the back.

"You smell it too?" asked Andrew climbing into the driver's seat. "I thought I was the only one."

"Roll down a window man. I don't want to suffocate on the way there." said Pierce pulling his shirt over his nose. Andrew rolled down the windows and backed out of the driveway. Daniel was in the front passenger seat staring at the gun in his lap.

"By the way, where are we going?" asked Shaundi. Andrew looked at her from the rear view mirror and smiled.

"It's a surprise." said Andrew. "Don't worry though, it will be worth it."

Shaundi raised her eyebrows and leaned back in her seat. She looked over at Daniel as he put his gun on the dashboard before leaning back to stare out the window. He looked worried.

"I don't think I can take anymore surprises." said Daniel looking out the window. Andrew came to a stoplight and looked at him.

"What is that supposed mean?" asked Andrew. Daniel sighed.

"Nothing." said Daniel. Shaundi continued to look at him until she caught Andrew staring at her in the rear view mirror. He smiled at her again before glancing at Daniel and then back at her. Shaundi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"All right, I can't take it anymore." said Pierce climbing over the back seat. He crawled over Matt and stuck his head out of the window.

"Pierce, get your ass out of my face." said Matt leaning back. Pierce ignored him and smiled as he took in a breath of fresh air.

"Everybody quiet." said Andrew. "We're here."

Andrew pulled up infront of a gated mansion and turned off the car.

"Where is here?" asked Daniel looking out of the window. There was a gate entrance to the driveway with the letters B.M. on it. "Wait...please tell me you didn't."

"Didn't what?" asked Kinzie. "Who is BM?"

"Brandon Martin." said Andrew. "He's an old friend of ours. He teaches engineering at the college."

"Why are we here?" asked Asha. Andrew smiled.

"We're going to rob him." said Andrew. "He went to Barbados for the weekend and won't be back until tomorrow. This is a great oppurtunity to get back at him for what he did."

"What did he do?" asked Matt. Andrew looked at Daniel before answering.

"He screwed my best friend." said Andrew. A collective gasp filled the van.

"I knew you were gay man!" said Pierce.

"I'm not gay!" yelled Daniel glaring at Andrew.

"I didn't mean it that way." said Andrew. "Brandon took something from Daniel that didn't belong to him and used it to make a shit ton of money. Money that should belong to Daniel. He's got some of it locked away in a safe and we're going to steal it."

"How do you know that?" asked Daniel suspiciously.

"His wife told me about it while we were having sex." said Andrew. Daniel raised his brow.

"You've been having an affair with his wife?" asked Daniel. Andrew shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't know she was his wife when I was banging her." said Andrew. "When I found out who she was I took it as a sign."

"This isn't a sign." said Daniel turning to look back at the house. "It's an omen."

"Calm down." said Andrew grabbing his gun. "Who's with me on this?"

The Saints looked at each other before readying their guns and looking at Daniel.

"C'mon man." said Andrew. "Are you in on this or not?"

Daniel stared at his gun on the dashboard.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." said Daniel before grabbing the gun.

"All right." said The Boss smiling. "Let's give this mother fucker what's coming to him."

The group poured out of the van. Andrew grabbed a bag from the back of the van and hopped the gate before motioning for them to follow him. They followed Andrew to a line of bushes in the front yard and crouched down.

"Here. Put these on. They'll hide your faces." said Andrew pulling a bunch of ladies panty hose out of his pockets. Pierce grabbed one and smelled it.

"Man, these smell worse than your car!" said Pierce.

"They belonged to my mom." said Andrew. "They were all I could think of to grab on short notice."

"Did your mom ever bathe?" asked Kinzie before regretfully slipping them over her head.

"Why didn't you wash these?" asked Daniel.

"There wasn't enough time." said Andrew.

"Why do you have a bunch of your mother's old panty hose anyway?" asked Asha. Daniel answered her question.

"He's a bit of a hoarder. He keeps everything." said Daniel.

"I prefer the term _collector_." said Andrew.

"You _collect _old panty hose?" asked Matt. Shaundi sighed.

"Enough about the damn panty hose. At least our faces are covered if anyone sees us. Now how do we get in there?" asked Shaundi.

"Right, now this place has a security alarm." said Andrew quietly. "Luckily, his wife gave me the code. I'll go in the back. You guys wait here until I give the signal."

Andrew took off before anyone could speak and went around the back of the house.

"Your friend better know what he's doing." said Shaundi. Daniel nodded in agreement and slipped the panty hose over his head. Soon, Andrew opened the front door and motioned for them to come in. They stood up and cautiously made there way across the front yard. The quickly went inside the house and were shocked at what they saw.

The house had an open floor plan with wall to wall white marble flooring. Giant pillars supported the high ceilings and a huge spiral staircase led upstairs to a balcony overlooking the first floor.

"Woah." said Kinzie in awe. Andrew gestured with his hand for the group to follow him.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure the safe is in here." said Andrew whispering.

"Why are you whispering?" asked Daniel. "I thought you said no one was home?"

"Just in case." said Andrew. Daniel rolled his eyes and continued to follow him into the study. Andrew walked over to a large bookshelf and looked behind it.

"I think I see it." said Andrew trying to move the bookshelf away from the wall. "Someone help me move this thing."

The Boss and Ben walked over to help Andrew move the bookshelf. Once it was away from the wall it revealed a small metal safe. Andrew smiled triumphantly as the group crowded behind him.

"Okay so we found the safe. Now, how are we going to crack this thing?" asked Shaundi. Andrew smiled again and unzipped the bag pulling out a drill. He started drilling at the safe while the others watched him.

"How do you know what you're doing?" asked Daniel.

"You can learn a lot from the internet." said Andrew. "This is going to take a few minutes though."

"Why don't we take a look around while we wait?" asked The Boss.

Andrew stepped back and let the drill do its job while they all spread out across the house. The Boss, Ben, Pierce and Johnny took a look around upstairs while Shaundi, Andrew, and Daniel stayed in the study. Matt, Kinzie, and Asha took a look around the the rest of the first floor. Andrew caught Shaundi looking at some of the books in Brandon's library and walked over to her.

"So, how are you?" asked Andrew winking at her. Shaundi rolled her eyes.

"Look, you're nice and everything, but I'm not interested." said Shaundi. Andrew smiled and pulled a joint out of his pocket.

"I know that." he said lighting it. He took a long drag on it before continuing. "I just thought we could get to know each other a little more."

Andrew exhaled and blew smoke in her direction. Shaundi coughed and waved the smoke away.

"I'd rather not." said Shaundi coughing.

Andrew took another puff of his joint when a loud SNAP filled the room.

"Andrew, I think something is wrong." said Daniel pointing to the drill. Andrew walked over to it and put out his joint on a nice wood table. He put the half-smoked joint back in his pocket.

"It's cool, I was prepared for this. The drill bit broke. I have another one." said Andrew reaching into the bag. He pulled out another drill bit and replaced it with the broken one.

"Wow, you really thought this through didn't you?" asked Daniel. Andrew shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah-" Andrew didn't get a chance to finish before a loud crash from upstairs filled the house.

"Fuck playa! He's got a gun!" yelled Ben from upstairs. A gunshot was heard followed by the sound of Pierce screaming.

"Looks like our time is up." said Shaundi before running out of the room, gun at the ready.

"Can't that thing go any faster?!" yelled Daniel.

"It's almost done!" said Andrew frantically. A click followed the by the safe door opening eased his stress. "Go help your girlfriend. I got this."

"My girlfriend? What?" asked Daniel. Andrew stared at him.

"Dude, go help your friends." said Andrew. Daniel nodded and readied his gun.

"Right." said Daniel before running out of the room. He ran out into the entryway to find The Boss and Ben carrying Pierce down the stairs. Asha, Matt, Shaundi, and Kinzie were already there.

"He shot me in the ass, man!" yelled Pierce when they reached the bottom of the steps.

"I thought your friend said no one was home?" asked The Boss. Daniel looked at him and realized Brandon wasn't following them.

"What did you do to Brandon?" asked Daniel.

"The Boss hit him over the head with his gun and knocked him out." said Ben. As soon as he finished talking Andrew ran into the room.

"Okay, I got the money. Let's get out of here!" said Andrew. Pierce screamed in pain as they carried him outside. They raced across the yard and quickly piled into Andrew's van before peeling away from the house.

xxxxxx

Pierce screamed in pain as Andrew sped down the road. Daniel was in the front seat having a panic attack.

"I can't believe you. You almost got us killed!" yelled Daniel.

"_Almost_ being the key word here. We didn't die and we made off with a ton of money. We got back at Brandon and you get to keep your house. I don't see the problem." said Andrew.

"What about me mutha fucka?!" yelled Pierce from the back seat. He was clutching Shaundi's hand. The Boss glared at Andrew from the back seat.

"You almost got one of my men killed." said The Boss. "If you weren't a friend of Daniel's I'd be pounding your ass right now."

"I'm sorry." said Andrew. "I swear, I thought no one was home."

"We have to get him to a hospital." said Daniel looking back at Pierce.

"No, no hospitals." said Andrew. "They'll involve the cops. We'll take him back to my place and fix him up."

xxxxxx

Daniel and Andrew carried Pierce into the kitchen and layed him on a table. He was still screaming.

"Get his pants off." said Andrew. Kinzie reached for the hem of Pierce's pants when he protested.

"Keep Kinzie away from my ass!" yelled Pierce. Shaundi rolled her eyes as she helped pull his pants down. She took a step back once they were off.

"Hmmmm." said Shaundi looking at his ass.

Daniel looked as the rest crowded around behind him to look over his shoulder.

"What?" asked Pierce. "Is it bad?"

"It's just a scratch." said Daniel. "The bullet must have just grazed you."

"What?" asked Pierce standing up.

"You mean you screamed like a little bitch over a tiny scratch?" asked Johnny.

"Getting hit with a bullet is a lot different than you remember isn't it?" asked Daniel smiling. Pierce pulled his pants up.

"It doesn't hurt so bad." said Pierce trying to act cool. Andrew threw the bag full of money on the table and unzipped it.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." said The Boss grabbing a handful of cash. Daniel stood back and watched as The Saints began counting the money. His phone began to ring and he answered it.

"Hello?"

"_Daniel sweetheart? I know it's late but we didn't get a chance to talk much last time we saw each other. I just wanted to remind you of your Aunt Karen's wedding this Wednesday." _said his mother.

"Shit. I forgot all about it." said Daniel.

"_I figured you had what with everything you've been doing lately. Are you goig to bring one of those nice young women we met the other day?" _asked his mother.

"Or both."

said his little brother Lewis in the background.

"Um, I don't know if-."said Daniel before his mother cut him off.

"I was just thinking it would be a good idea for you to bring a date."

said his mother. A collective scream filled the room as The Boss reached $100,000. _"What's going on? Are you having a party?"_

"Yeah, kind of." said Daniel.

"Okay. I'll let you go. Just be careful not to drink so much this time."

said his mother. _"Goodbye sweetheart."_

"Goodbye ma." said Daniel before hanging up the phone just in time for Andrew to walk up to him. He had some documents in his hand.

"I think I found a way to fix your reputation." said Andrew handing the documents to him. "I found these in his safe."

"What are these?" asked Daniel flipping through them. They were pages of new ideas for machines. One was of a small surveilance helicopter with the name Max Pine as the creator. There was a copy of the document with name Brandon Martin in its place.

"He's been stealing ideas and using them as his own." said Daniel. "These probably belong to his students."

"If someone should anonymously send these to say...The Dean? He'd be in pretty deep shit." said Andrew. Daniel couldn't contain his joy as The Boss walked up to them.

"Here man." said The Boss handing him a wad of cash. "You deserve this."

"Thank you." said Daniel taking the money. The Boss smiled and went back to the table to join his crew as they started dancing around the kitchen. Daniel watched them and smiled. He felt like joining them but decided to let them have their moment of joy. He leaned against the wall and found himself staring at Shaundi. She caught him looking at her and he smiled. She walked over to him.

"You seem happy." said Shaundi.

"It's turned out to be a pretty good day." said Daniel smiling. He stood quietly for a moment before continuing. "I...uh...have to go my Aunt's wedding the day after tomorrow."

Shaundi raised her eyebrow and listened to him. Daniel cleared his throat.

"My mother wants me to bring a date and I was wondering...um...do you think you could...maybe..." Daniel began to get nervous. Shaundi smiled and crossed her arms.

"You don't have a lot of experience with this do you?" asked Shaundi.

"No, not really." said Daniel. He was embarassed. "I was kind of hoping you'd answer the question before I finished. I understand if you don't want to go. I just thought I'd ask."

Shaundi crossed her arms and bit her lower lip.

"Why me? Why not Kinzie or Asha?" asked Shaundi. "Do you think that because of my reputation it would be easier to get into my pants?"

"W-what? No, of course not." said Daniel.

"Relax, I'm just kidding." said Shaundi. She looked at him for a moment. "I'll go, but only because you promised to let us stay."

"Okay." said Daniel.

Shaundi smiled before slowly backing away from him to join The Saints around the table. Daniel took a deep sigh of relief before looking at the money in his hands.

"Today really was a good day."


	9. An Interesting Turn

**NOTE: Let me know what you think of this chapter! I hope you like it!**

GLITCH

Chapter 9: An Interesting Turn

Daniel stood in front of his bathroom mirror. He was dressed in a black suit with a white button up shirt. He fumbled with the red bow tie around his neck.

"C'mon you bastard." said Daniel cursing the bow tie when he messed up the knot. He finally gave up and ripped it from his neck. Deciding not to use the bow tie, he unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt before stepping back to look at himself in the mirror. He ran his hands on his cheeks and felt his beard. It was a light beard and he'd trimmed it for the occasion. It was Wednesday and he was supposed to be at his Aunt's wedding in an hour.

(KNOCK KNOCK)

"Who is it?" asked Daniel still looking in the mirror. It was Johnny knocking on the door.

"Yo, I need to get in there." said Johnny. "Think you can hurry it up?"

"Yep." said Daniel before opening the door. Johnny looked him up and down.

"Snazzy." said Johnny before pushing Daniel aside and slamming the door shut. Daniel walked down the hall to the guest room and knocked on the door.

"Shaundi? Are you ready?" asked Daniel from the hallway.

"She's almost done!" yelled Kinzie from inside the room.

"It takes a lot of effort to make her look good in the real world!" yelled Asha. Daniel heard a slap followed by a quiet "Ow".

"I'll be waiting in the living room." said Daniel before walking down the hallway. They had stolen $250,000 from Brandon and one of the first things they bought themselves were new clothes. He understood. Anyone would get tired of wearing the same outfit everyday. One of the first outfits Shaundi bought was a dress which Daniel had yet to see. Daniel turned to enter the living room. The Boss, Pierce, Ben, and Matt were gathered on the couch watching television

"Look, I'm trusting you to behave while I'm gone. Please don't do anything stupid." said Daniel.

"Yeah, yeah." said The Boss waving his hand.

"I'm serious. Stay here and watch t.v.. Read a book. Have an orgy. I don't care. Just don't leave this house." said Daniel.

"We won't go anywhere." said Pierce. "Chill out."

The Boss looked behind Daniel and raised his brow.

"Well, you clean up nicely." said The Boss. Daniel turned around and saw Shaundi. She was wearing a dark purple silk dress with spaghetti straps. The silk rested against her curves nicely and Daniel couldn't help but stare at her. He began to grow nervous as his eyes moved from her hips, to her breasts, and then to her neck before finally resting on her face. She had a her hair pulled back with the usual amount of bang hanging down. It was simple, but elegant.

"Okay." said Daniel clearing his throat. "We should probably get going."

He turned and grabbed his keys before walking out of the house. Shaundi furrowed her brow before following him out. She watched as Daniel got in his car and started it. She slowly walked to the passenger side and got in before looking at Daniel. He ignored her and backed out of the driveway. Neither spoke until they reached the church.

xxxxxxx

"There he is!" said Daniel's mother waving from the church entrance. Daniel smiled and waved from his car before unbuckling his seat belt. He and Shaundi got out of the car as his mother and father walked up.

"What the hell happened to your car?" asked his father staring at the broken windshield.

"I...uh...hit a deer." said Daniel before hugging his mother. "You, um, remember Shaundi?"

"Of course." said his father smiling.

"You look very lovely, dear." said his mother.

"Thank you." said Shaundi before giving Daniel a slightly angry glare. Daniel pretended not to notice.

His parents had huge smiles on their faces as they stared at him and Shaundi. Daniel cleared his throat to break their gaze.

"We should probably get inside." said his father. "The ceremony is about to start."

They followed his father into the church and sat down next to his brother Lewis. Lewis had brought his girlfriend with him and they were holding hands. Daniel and Shaundi sat beside him. Lewis glanced at her before nudging his brother's arm.

"Nice one, bro." said Lewis smiling. Daniel smiled awkwardly before the wedding march began to play.

They watched as his Aunt Karen made her way down the aisle following the groom's niece as she placed little flower petals on the ground. Daniel and his family smiled as she passed and sat down as the priest began to read.

It was a short ceremony. His Aunt Karen had waited 8 years to marry her fiance' and she didn't want to waste any time. After the kiss they all filed into their cars and made their way to the reception.

xxxxxx

Daniel stood by the bar and watched Shaundi from across the room. She was sitting alone at their table resting her head in her hand. He jumped when his cousin Nate whistled next to him.

"Hey man, where did you find her?" asked Nate staring at Shaundi.

"She just kind of...appeared." said Daniel.

"Well, she's hot." said Nate. "What are doing standing over here? Go ask her to dance."

"I'm waiting for my drink." said Daniel tapping the bar.

"Don't wait too long man. If you don't ask that girl to dance, I just might. I don't care what my wife says." said Nate before walking off. The bartender brought Daniel his drink and he picked it up. He stared at Shaundi and took a deep breath before tossing his drink back. He slammed the empty glass on the bar and made his away across the room to Shaundi. She looked up at him and he placed his hand out.

"What? You're actually going to pay attention to me now?" asked Shaundi raising her eyebrows. Daniel nodded awkwardly toward the dance floor.

"I thought you didn't dance?" said Shaundi.

"It's about time I start." said Daniel. Shaundi gave him a light smile before placing her hand in his. He led her across the room to the dance floor.

"Time to slow things down a bit for you couples out there." said The DJ. Soon, Crash by Dave Mathews filled the room. Daniel put his hand on Shaundi's waist and took her hand. Shaundi place her free hand on his shoulder as they began to sway slowly to the music. Daniel avoided her eyes and held her way from him.

"Do I embarrass you?" asked Shaundi. Daniel looked away from her.

"No, why?" asked Daniel. Shaundi scrunched her brow.

"You haven't said two words to me all day and now you can't even look in my direction." said Shaundi. She grabbed his chin to make him look at her. "What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"You make me uncomfortable." said Daniel. Shaundi stopped dancing.

"Why? What is it about me that makes you uncomfortable? Don't forget, you asked me to come here." said Shaundi taking her hands away from him. Her face grew tense.

"You're too beautiful." said Daniel.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" asked Shaundi. Daniel looked down and Shaundi pushed his head up to look at her. Daniel sighed.

"I tense up around women I think are attractive. It's one of the reasons I've never really dated." said Daniel.

"No shit." said Shaundi with fake surprise.

"I don't even know why I'm doing this." said Daniel before turning around. Shaundi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." said Shaundi turning him around. "That was rude. I shouldn't have said that."

"C'mon you two." said his mother. Her and his father were slow dancing next to them. "You can't slow dance when you're standing apart. You have to get closer."

"Go on." mouthed his father.

Daniel watched his parents dance away before turning to Shaundi. He took a deep breath and stepped toward her while looking at the floor. Grabbing her tattooed hand he pulled her close to him and placed his free hand on her waist. He was trying hard to control his breathing. He felt like passing out.

"Relax." said Shaundi placing a hand on his cheek. "You're doing good."

Daniel looked at her, his piercing blue eyes staring directly into hers. He felt himself relax against her. The tempo of the song picked up ever so slightly and they began to gently sway to the music. Shaundi looked at her hand. Daniel was caressing her fingers. She looked back at him and met his soft stare. She felt his hand slide up her back to pull her even closer to him until her breasts touched his chest. He could feel her heart beating.

"How am I doing?" asked Daniel.

"Fine." said Shaund in a breathless whisper.

He pulled her hand up around his neck and caressed her arm before placing his hand on her waist. He could feel himself leaning into her and she into him. Her eyes began to close and he felt her hand run up the back of his neck into his hair. He leaned closer to her until his lips were inches away from hers. He could feel her breath escaping her lips. He felt like they were the only people in the room, like time had stopped. Closing his eyes, he braced himself for a kiss before the song ended. The DJ put on a song that was more up-tempo and broke their trance. They stood on the dance floor in each other's embrace for a moment. Realising what almost happened they separated. Daniel cleared his throat.

"Do you...uhm...want a drink?" asked Daniel putting his hands in his pockets. Shaundi nodded and Daniel walked to the bar. Shaundi watched him leave and took an unsteady breath. She placed her hand on her chest and felt her heart racing.

"Well, that's new." said Shaundi to herself. She took another breath and walked over to the bar.

xxxxxxx

Back at the house, Matt and Kinzie were poking around Daniel's basement. They wanted to see if they could fix the broken bionic arm when they saw Daniel's gaming console laying apart on the table.

"I wonder what he was trying to do?" said Matt picking up a piece of the console.

"Probably trying to figure out what happened." said Kinzie looking over his shoulder.

"Aren't you curious?" asked Matt turning to her.

"What?" asked Kinzie.

"You're not the least bit curious about how we got here?" asked Matt.

"Yes, of course I am." said Kinzie. She and Matt glanced down at the console. "Do you think technology works the same here?"

"Let's find out." said Matt sitting down in a chair. He and Kinzie began trying to fit the pieces of the console back together. In order to figure out what went wrong they had to figure out how it actually worked.

"No, that piece goes there!" yelled Kinzie ripping a tool from Matt's hands. "Let me do it."

"How do you know where it's supposed to go?!" yelled Matt.

"Woman's intuition." said Kinzie as put the piece into the console. It fit perfectly. Matt huffed before placing the outer case back on the console.

"Well, let's see if this works." said Matt turning around to one of the tv monitors on the wall. He found an open outlet and plugged in the console. He took the HDMI cord that plugged into the tv and searched for a spot to plug it in.

"Gotcha!" said Matt plugging the cord into the monitor. "So far it's pretty simple."

Kinzie pushed the power button on the console and it turned on. She and Matt grinned with delight. They fussed with the remote until they found the right input channel. The start menu for Saints Row IV filled the screen.

"I'm curious." said Matt before reaching behind him to grab the controller. He pushed X and hit continue. The screen showed an empty spaceship from where they left the game. Matt reached up and touched the screen. His hand wouldn't go through.

"I don't understand what could have happened." said Matt. The doorbell rang and broke his train of thought. He and Kinzie left the basement to see who was at the door. It was Andrew.

"Hey, have you guys seen Daniel?" asked Andrew stepping into the house.

"He and Shaundi went to a wedding." said Johnny. "We don't know when they'll be back."

"That was today?" asked Andrew walking into the living room. "I wonder why I wasn't invited...oh well."

He saw Asha sitting on the couch and sat next to her. She scooted away from him.

"Why don't you like me?" asked Andrew. "Haven't a proved to be a nice guy?"

"You're still disgusting." said Asha.

"You'll warm up to me eventually." said Andrew smiling. He turned to the others. "So, do you guys want to go do something?"

"What did you have in mind?" asked The Boss. Asha glared at him.

"We told Daniel we wouldn't leave the house." said Asha.

"Look, I don't know about you, but I'm bored as fuck." said The Boss. "I have to get out of here."

"Don't worry. I'll have you back before he gets home." said Andrew. "He'll never know."

The group exchanged looks.

"Where are we going?" asked The Boss. Andrew smiled and the group followed him out to his car.

"Man, how is it possible that your car actually smells worse than before?!" yelled Pierce as he and the rest climbed into the back. Andrew rolled down the windows before backing out of the driveway.

xxxxxxx

In the basement the television Matt and Kinzie had hooked the console to was still on. The console beeped and caused the television to flicker. The scene changed to an alien spaceship and the sound of footsteps grew louder. It was Zinyak, the villain from the game. He crouched down until his face filled the screen. He gave an evil smile before slowly reaching his hand out of the television.


	10. A Souvenir

**NOTE: If you're wondering where a certain "bad guy" is, don't worry. He'll make an appearance very soon :) BTW, I've put a lot of song titles in my story. Sometimes I find it helps set the mood. If you want, feel free to play them in the background as you read! Also, the gang in this chapter is inspired by a real gang though I didn't mention them by name. What infamous gang from Los Angeles wears red?**

GLITCH

Chapter 10: A Souvenir

Daniel awoke to the sound of voices echoing down the hallway. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. He got out of bed and put on a pair of jeans before leaving his room. The sound of the voices grew louder as neared the kitchen. He turned a corner and saw The Saints loading their guns.

"What's going on?" asked Daniel.

"It's about time you woke up." said The Boss tossing him a can of purple spray paint. "Go get ready."

"Ready for what?" asked Daniel. He looked around his kitchen and saw several duffel bags full of ammo and spray paint. "Where did you get all this?"

"Your buddy Andrew stopped by last night while you and Shaundi had your little date." said The Boss. "He took us out and got us hooked up with some of the essentials."

"It wasn't a date." said Daniel glancing at Shaundi. She ignored him and cocked her gun. "I thought I told you not to leave the house?"

"You did." said The Boss. "We ignored you and left anyway."

"What are you planning on doing?" asked Daniel. Pierce put his pistol in the hem of his pants.

"We're going to go fuck up some rival gangs." said Pierce. "You coming?"

"You're not going to kill anyone are you?" asked Daniel concerned.

"We weren't planning on it, but shit happens." said Johnny. Daniel put the can of spay paint on the counter.

"I can't let you do this." said Daniel. The Boss stepped toward him.

"Why?" asked The Boss.

"The gangs here are different." said Daniel. "They'll shoot you for even looking in their direction. There is not reset button here. No extra lives. You get shot in the head. That's it. Game over."

The Boss quietly stared at Daniel for a moment.

"That's a chance I'm willing to take." said The Boss. "You coming or not?"

"No, I'm not." said Daniel. He looked passed The Boss at Shaundi. She had her head down with her eyes closed and was clenching her jaw.

"What about everyone else?" asked The Boss turning around. "Are you guys going to pussy out on me?"

"Fuck no, Boss." said Johnny. The group nodded in agreement except for Shaundi. The Boss looked at her.

"Shaundi? Are you in?" asked The Boss. Shaundi looked up and over at Daniel. He looked at her, his face full of worry. She sighed before answering.

"Yeah, I'm in." said Shaundi.

"Alright, time to make a name for ourselves." said The Boss reaching for Andrew's keys. Daniel grabbed them before The Boss could touch them. He stood quietly with his eyes closed holding his keys.

"Let me put a shirt on." said Daniel with regret in his voice. He opened his eyes and glanced at Shaundi before turning around and walking out of the room.

xxxxxxx

Daniel was quiet as he drove down the road. Pierce had turned on the radio and put the volume on full blast. Love Gun by Cee Lo Green played as The Saints bounced to the beat. Daniel did his best to ignore them. He kept driving until he saw several people dressed in red walking up and down the streets. He pulled over to the side of the road and turned off his car.

"Time to get rid off all this red." said The Boss as he opened the door. Daniel closed his eyes and sighed before getting out of the car. The rest followed suit and made sure their guns were locked and loaded. Ben grabbed a duffel bag full of ammo and put it on his shoulder. Pierce grabbed a can of spray paint and walked over to a wall full of graffiti. He began spraying it over with a Saints symbol as a group of men dressed in red came up behind him.

"Yo homey, what do you think you're doing?" asked one of the men. The Boss stepped forward.

"We're taking over your turf." said The Boss. "This is now the property of The Saints."

Pierce finished the symbol and tossed the can over his shoulder. Daniel and The Saints gathered around The Boss.

"The Saints? This isn't a fucking video game man. You think you can spray a little logo on a wall and claim our turf? You want this turf, you'll have to take it the hard way." said a red gang member pulling a pistol out from the hem of his baggy pants.

The Saints pulled out their guns. Daniel pulled his out as well.

"This is a bad idea." said Daniel under his breath. More gang members dressed in red surrounded them. One woman in a red tank top came around the corner with a baseball bat full of nails.

"Aisha!" yelled the gang's leader walking up to them. Johnny looked up. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to beat some fuckers, what does it look like?" said Aisha putting the bat on her shoulder. Johnny stared at her.

"Why is he staring at me like that?" asked Aisha pointing to him. The gang leader looked at Johnny.

"Yo, you making goo goo eyes at my girl?" he asked point a pistol Johnny.

"I suggest you get that gun out of my face before I jam it up your ass." said Johnny. The gang leader put the barrel of the gun against Johnny's forehead.

"You think you can come here and take my turf? Take my girl?" asked the gang leader. "Who do you think you are?"

Johnny clenched his jaw and head butted the gang leader breaking his nose. The gang leader stumbled back as blood poured down his face. He looked around at his gang.

"Boss, I think we should run." said Shaundi backing away.

"Kill these sons of bitches!" yelled the gang leader. The Saints ducked behind a dumpster as shots rang out.

"Fuck playa!" yelled Ben. "There's too many of them!"

"Daniel was right." said Kinzie. "We shouldn't have done this."

"No!" said The Boss. "We're not wimping out! We have to take these guys out!"

"What do you suggest we do?" asked Matt. The Boss grabbed the duffel bag from Ben and searched through it. He smiled and pulled out a grenade. He pulled back the pin and tossed it.

"Fuck! Grenade!" yelled a gang member before an explosion echoed through the streets.

"Now!" yelled The Boss. The Saints jumped out from behind the dumpster and began firing at the gang peppering several of them with bullets. Daniel stayed behind and tried not to have a panic attack. He took several deep breaths and peeked around the dumpster.

"Why the fuck am I doing this?" he asked himself before standing up. He saw a lone gang member running up behind The Saints with a pistol at the ready. He was aiming at Shaundi.

"Shaundi!" yelled Daniel before running over to her. Shaundi turned around just as Daniel grabbed her. The gang member fired just as Daniel turned her around to face the other direction. The bullet entered his left shoulder and he screamed in pain. Shaundi held on to him and fired several shots into the gang member's torso. Daniel clutched shoulder. Blood poured through his fingers.

"Boss! We have to get out of here!" yelled Shaundi as police sirens echoed through the streets. The Boss turned and saw Shaundi holding Daniel up before turning back to fire one last bullet at the gang's leader. He hit the leader in the leg and he fell back. The Boss walked over to him.

"We're The Saints." said The Boss. "Let others know that we're not to be fucked with!"

The Boss turned around and the group ran toward Daniel's car. Johnny watched as Aisha ran over to the leader and knelt down.

"I'm sorry, Eesh." said Johnny before taking off toward the car. Shaundi helped Daniel into the back seat and tossed his keys to The Boss.

"No, I don't want him driving my car." said Daniel before grabbing his shoulder in pain.

"Don't worry. We'll have you back home safe and sound." said The Boss starting the car. He turned around and saw Daniel's shirt covered in blood. "Well, almost safe and sound."

The Boss sped off down the road before several police cars entered the scene.

"Slow down!" yelled Daniel. "You drive like a maniac!"

"What's wrong with my driving?" asked The Boss as he swerved to miss a car.

"I think I'm going to be sick." said Matt trying to hold back his vomit.

"Matt, don't you fucking puke on me." said Asha.

"There's so much blood." said Matt looking at Daniel. Shaundi held her hand on his wound.

"He's going to be okay." said Shaundi.

xxxxxxx

The Boss pulled into Daniel's driveway after running down his mailbox. He turned off the car as everyone got out. Pierce helped Daniel out of the car and let Daniel lean on him until they got in the house. He helped Daniel to the kitchen table. Shaundi ripped off his shirt to see blood pouring out of the hole in his shoulder.

"Fuck! What do we do?!" asked Pierce.

"There are some tweezers in my bathroom drawer." said Daniel. Pierce took off down the hallway.

"Kinzie, there is a first aid kit in that cabinet. Get it for me." said Daniel fighting the pain. "Someone help me take off my belt."

Shaundi unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of his pants. Daniel grabbed it and folded it before placing it between his teeth. Pierce returned with the tweezers and Kinzie brought the first aid kit.

Daniel grabbed it from her and opened it. He pulled out a container of alcohol and poured it on the tweezers. He handed them back to Pierce.

"Pull it out." said Daniel through clenched teeth.

"Say what?" asked Pierce.

"Pierce, just pull the damn thing out." said Shaundi.

"Why do I have to be the one to do it?" asked Pierce.

"For fuck sake!" yelled The Boss before grabbing the tweezers from him. "Hold him down."

The Boss pushed the tweezers into the wound. Daniel screamed and clenched his fists. The Boss moved the tweezers around until he felt the bullet.

"I think I got it." said The Boss. He twisted the tweezers and pinched the bullet. Daniel screamed and the belt fell from his mouth. An even louder scream filled the room as Daniel arched his back.

"Hold him down!" yelled The Boss. Shaundi and Asha placed their hands on Daniel's chest and stomach to hold him still. Asha watched as Daniel reached out to grab Shaundi's hand and clutched it tightly. Asha looked at Shaundi. Shaundi glanced at her before looking back down at Daniel. Pierce stood behind Asha and watched. Kinzie walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Pierce turned to look at her for a moment before looking back at Daniel.

"Got it!" yelled The Boss as he pulled out the bullet. Daniel's body relaxed a little. He let go of Shaundi's hand and sat up. He reached over and grabbed some gauze before pouring more alcohol on his wound. He winced a little before placing on the gauze on his shoulder. He held it there as he taped it to his skin.

"Are you okay man?" asked Pierce.

"I'm fine." said Daniel standing up. "I'm a little tired. I think I'm gonna go lay down for a little while."

Daniel stumbled out of the room and down the hallway to his bedroom. The Saints quietly exchanged looks as The Boss held the bullet in his hand.

"This will make a nice souvenir." said The Boss holding the bullet between his fingers. Shaundi went over to the sink and began to wash Daniel's blood from her hands. As the bloody water ran down the drain, she could feel her chest grow tight.

"Shaundi? Are you okay?" asked Asha. Shaundi dried her hands on a dish towel and turned to her.

"I'm fine. Why?" said Shaundi.

"Nevermind." said Asha. She turned around and began to help clean up the kitchen. Shaundi turned to look down the hallway at Daniel's bedroom. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"_I'm not fine_." she thought to herself before joining the others. "_I'm scared_."


	11. An Un-Expected Thank You

**NOTE: I'm putting that M rating to good use in this chapter :) Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 11: An Un-Expected Thank You

Shaundi layed in bed on the couch pull-out. Daniel's house only had one extra bedroom which the guys had claimed. The girls were confined to the living room. Kinzie was fast asleep in Daniel's recliner. She kicked her foot out from under her blanket and it hung off the side of the chair. Shaundi looked next to her. Asha had her arm over her eyes and was breathing deeply. Shaundi let out a deep breath and rolled on her side. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind of the sound of gunshots. Shooting someone in the real world wasn't what she expected. Yes, there was blood and she was used to that. What she wasn't used to were the screams. Fallen gang members, some not even 18 years old, screaming in agony in pools of their own blood. She shook her head to try and rid her mind of it. Instead, her mind went from the screams of the gang members to the screams of Daniel. She remembered him clutching her blood covered hand as The Boss tried to retrieve the bullet he'd taken for her.

Shaundi turned onto her back and opened her eyes. She heard the faint sound of music coming from the hallway. She looked over to see if Asha was still asleep before grabbing her ponytail holder from the end table. After pulling her hair back she got up and walked down the hallway. Her bare feet made light sounds on the tile floor as she made her way toward the noise. She could see an amber light coming from under Daniel's bedroom door into the dark hallway. Putting her ear to the door she could hear a soft piano tune from inside the room. Shaundi knocked lightly on the door.

"Yeah?" said Daniel softly from inside. Shaundi considered not answering and walking away. She stood quietly in the hallway until Daniel opened the door. He was shirtless wearing a pair of grey sweatpants. He had a square patch of gauze over the wound on his left shoulder. Shaundi looked at his eyes. They were sallow with dark circles around them.

"Is the music too loud?" asked Daniel.

"No." said Shaundi shaking her head. Daniel looked at her and noticed she wasn't herself.

"Are you okay?" asked Daniel.

"I should be asking YOU that question." said Shaundi. Daniel looked at his shoulder.

"I'm okay. All wounds heal with time." said Daniel looking back at her. He walked back into his room and turned down the music until it could barely be heard. Shaundi quietly stepped through the door. Daniel turned around to see her walking toward him. He watched her as she reached out her hand and ran her fingers along the outside of his bandage.

"Does it hurt?" she asked looking up at him.

"Yes, very much so." said Daniel looking down into her eyes. "I'm just glad it wasn't you."

Shaundi looked into his eyes and placed her hand on his bearded cheek. Daniel grew stiff and looked at her hand through the side of his eye. She moved her hand along his jaw line to the back of his neck before pulling him down toward her. She leaned in before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Daniel brought his right hand up to cup her cheek before she pulled away from him. He looked into her eyes and brushed a small amount of hair from her face.

"Shaundi?" said Daniel softly before leaning in close to her. Shaundi liked the way he said her name.

"Yes?" she replied breathlessly.

Daniel answered her with a kiss. Her eyelashes fluttered as he leaned into him. She parted her lips to let him inside. Their kiss deepened. It had a sense of eagerness and hunger to it that neither of them expected. Daniel wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. He ran his hand up the back of her shirt as she placed her hands in his pants. She gripped his ass with both hands and pulled his hips close to hers. They continued their kiss. Daniel slid his tongue inside her mouth and she reciprocated. Daniel's breathing grew heavy as he became aroused. Shaundi moved her hand from his ass to his crotch and began to rub his cock. Daniel took an unsteady breath in and opened his eyes. He broke away from her.

"Wait." said Daniel between breaths. He walked over to the door and gently shut it.

"Okay." said Daniel before pulling in for a hard kiss. Shaundi reached into his underwear and began to stroke his shaft. He reached his hand up her shirt and massaged her breasts before pulling her tank top over her head. He gripped it in his hand as he wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer. He could feel her bare breasts against his skin. He slowly pushed her toward his bed as she continued to stroke him. Daniel layed her on his bed and gently removed her panties. He took a moment to look at her naked form. She was perfect.

He crept on top of her and kissed her again before gently sliding his fingers inside of her. A soft moan escaped her lips as he slowly moved his fingers in and out. He could feel how wet she was. Shaundi gripped the bed sheets tightly between her fingers. Her breathing became staggered. Daniel removed his fingers from her and she rolled him over on his back. Daniel winced when she accidentally hit his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." said Shaundi concerned.

"It's okay." said Daniel before pulling her on top of him and into a kiss. Shaundi could sense how hard he was through his pants. She pulled his pants, and underwear, down and he kicked them off with his feet. She straddled his waist and lowered herself on to him. She leaned her head back in ecstasy as she moved herself up and down on his shaft. Daniel used his good arm to reach up and cup her breast before closing his eyes. He was so tired and weak, but he didn't want to stop. Shaundi increased her speed as she came close to climaxing. Several moans escaped her lips as she moved her hips faster. Daniel clenched his toes. He was close. Shaundi ground her hips against his and Daniel couldn't contain himself. She felt his warm cum inside her before letting herself go as well.

She slowly slipped off of him before falling next to him on the bed. They were both breathing heavily and were covered in sweat. Daniel stared at the ceiling at the realisation of what just happened. He couldn't believe it. Shaundi placed her arm over her head and let out long breath.

"That wasn't like how I remember it." said Shaundi trying to control her breathing.

"I-Is that bad?" asked Daniel turning to look at her. Shaundi looked at him.

"No." she said smiling. "I don't think it's ever felt that good."

Shaundi rolled over on her side and looked him in the eyes. She placed a hand on his injured shoulder.

"Thank you." said Shaundi. Daniel placed a hand on top of hers.

"You're welcome." said Daniel before pulling her close to him. Shaundi rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. Soon, the slow rythm of his breathing signaled that he'd fallen asleep. Shaundi slowly got out of bed and put on her clothes. She covered him up before leaving the room. She closed the door behind her and stood in the hallway. Her chest grew tight again and this time a tear fell down her cheek. She wiped it away and took a deep breath.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" she asked herself. She composed herself before walking back toward the living room. Asha and Kinzie were still sleeping. She quietly crept to her side of the couch pull out and crawled into bed. She rolled over on her side and rested her head on her hands. Asha had been pretending to sleep and opened her eyes.

"Where were you?" asked Asha quietly. Shaundi remained still.

"Nowhere." said Shaundi. "Go back to sleep."

Asha stared at Shaundi for a moment before closing her eyes. Shaundi let out another breath before closing hers. She could still hear Daniel's heartbeat as she drifted off to sleep.


	12. The Return of a Villain

**NOTE: I'm sorry for taking so long to update this chapter. I've been bogged down with work and school. Let me know what you think by leaving a review! I hope you like it!**

GLITCH

Chapter 12: The Return of a Villain

Daniel awoke to the smell of something burning. The sound of the smoke alarm filled the house. Daniel jumped out of bed and put on his boxer before running down the hall with his hand on his shoulder. He ran into the kitchen and was greeted by a cloud of smoke.

"Shut the fuck up!" yelled The Boss as he ripped the alarm out of the wall. Daniel stood in the archway of the kitchen gripping his shoulder.

"What happened?" asked Daniel. Pierce was by the stove fanning a fire in a frying pan. Daniel grabbed a pot cover from the cabinet and placed it over the pan to smolder the fire.

"Shit. Sorry, man." said Pierce. Daniel walked over to the kitchen window and tried to open it to air out the kitchen. He strained his shoulder and clutched it with his hand. Ben walked over to the window and opened it for him.

"Why the hell were you trying to cook?" asked Daniel turning around.

"He was trying to make you breakfast." said Asha. "He felt bad about what happened yesterday."

"Don't worry about it." said Daniel turning to Pierce. "I'm fine."

"Speaking of yesterday." said The Boss. "We all saw what you did for Shaundi."

"Yeah, man. That was pretty bad ass." said Johnny. "You protected our girl when shit hit the fan."

"The Saints look out for each other." said The Boss. He smiled at Daniel before looking around. "Where is Shaundi anyway?"

"She's still in the bathroom." said Asha. "She seemed upset."

Daniel looked at the floor. He wondered if it had anything to do with her visit to his room the night before.

"I'll go check on her." said Asha glancing at Daniel before walking out of the room. She walked down the hallway to the bathroom and tried to open the door. It was locked.

"Shaundi? It's Asha. Can you let me in?" she asked.

"Go away." said Shaundi. "I'm busy."

"Shaundi, I know something's wrong. Open the door." said Asha. She heard Shaundi unlock the door. Asha opened it to see Shaundi standing infront of her. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was red.

"Shaundi? Have you been...crying?" asked Asha. She'd never seen Shaundi cry before. Asha had seen Shaundi upset about many things, but she would always cover it up with anger.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." said Shaundi wiping her eyes. Asha walked into the bathroom and shut the door. She turned and stared at Shaundi for a moment.

"Does this have anything to do with where you were last night?" asked Asha. Shaundi crossed her arms and looked at the floor.

"I don't know." said Shaundi. "Maybe."

"What happened?" asked Asha sitting on the edge of the tub. Shaundi leaned against the sink.

"I..." said Shaundi closing her eyes. "...spent the night with Daniel."

"Oh my God." said Asha with her mouth agape. "Why?"

"I don't know." said Shaundi. "I didn't intend to sleep with him. I heard music coming from his room and I went to check on him. Before I knew it..."

"You were fucking." said Asha. Shaundi looked up at her.

"Yes...and no." said Shaundi. Asha looked at her confused. "I'm so fucking confused. I thought maybe I did it to get my mind off of what happened yesterday. Maybe I did it to thank him for what he did. I've slept with I don't know how many men."

"Hundreds." said Asha.

"Thank you." said Shaundi sarcastically.

"I'm sorry." said Asha. "Go on."

"I've had sex a lot, but it never felt the way it did with Daniel." said Shaundi. "I didn't expect it to mean anything."

"Did it?" asked Asha. Shaundi looked at the floor.

"Yes...and that scares me." said Shaundi softly.

"Why?" asked Asha. "He's a great guy. You'd never find someone like him where we're from."

"Exactly." said Shaundi. "I have a history of dating assholes, because deep down they're what I think I deserve."

"That's not true." said Asha. "You're just saying that because you don't want to admit that a man like Daniel could possibly have feelings for you beyond sex. I've seen the looks he gives you. Those are looks of affection, not lust. Did you see the look he gave you before we left yesterday? He was worried about you. He could give two shits about the rest of us."

"Why me?" asked Shaundi.

"I don't know." said Asha. "But you're never going to find out by locking yourself away in a bathroom."

Shaundi took a deep breath and looked at the door.

"I know." said Shaundi. "I just wish I wasn't so freaked out by this."

"It's frightening to feel something you've never felt before. I'd be freaking out too." said Asha standing up. "Now wash your face. You look like shit."

"Again, thank you." said Shaundi sarcastically. Asha smiled.

"Anytime." said Asha before opening the door. "By the way, just out of curiousity, how was his...you know?"

Shaundi smiled and turned on the water. Asha waited for an answer before Pierce burst through the door.

"Hey, you two need to see this!" he yelled before running back down the hallway. Asha and Shaundi exchanged looks before leaving the bathroom. They walked into the living room to see everyone crouded around the television.

"What's going on?" asked Shaundi. The Boss turned around.

"We're on TV." he said smiling. Asha and Shaundi turned their attention to the television to see footage of several gang members in red clothing being placed into ambulances.

"**This is gruesome footage sent to us from a witness to yesterday's gang shootout." said a reporter. "We have the witness here with us today. What's your name?"**

"My name is Waylon." said the witness.

"Can you describe in your own words what you saw yesterday?" asked the reporter.

"I saw several people dressed in purple jump into a white sportscar and speed off down the road. One guy looked injured. I couldn't get a good shot of them on my phone on account of me crouching down behind a car for fear of my own life. However, they did what many of us have wanted to do for a long time. They got rid of that #$& !#!%# %! gang. They're heros in my opinion, whoever they are. Now I can feel safe letting my kids walk the streets." said Waylon.

"Aren't you afraid that this new gang, who call themselves The Saints, have the potential to be just as terrifying as the previous gang?"

"No mam." said Waylon. "I say, if they want to take out every gang in LA then by God let them! One gang is better than 12 in my opinion."

Pictures of the bloody gang members filled the screen. Their screams filled the background. Shaundi looked down at the floor as Daniel walked up beside her. He looked at her before reaching his hand out to grab hers. She looked up at him. He gave her a soft smile as he caressed her hand with his thumb.

"Are you okay?" asked Daniel quietly. Shaundi nodded.

"I'm fine." said Shaundi slowly wrapping her fingers around his hand.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just getting word that downtown is being overrun by...aliens?" asked the reporter. She looked off camera. "Are you serious?"

Live footage of downtown showed people running away in fear of a horde of giant Zin. Red lasers flew passed them. Explosions echoed through the streets as the Zin destroyed everything in their path. Out in front of the horde was the Zin overlord, Zinyak.

"Humans, no need to run." said Zinyak as the news camera followed him. "We're just looking for our friends. We have reason to believe that they might be here. They call themselves The Saints. Give them up and we'll kindly vacate your world."

"Holy shit." said The Boss. "How did he get out?!"

Daniel let go of Shaundi's hand and walked to the front of the group.

"Who played the game?" asked Daniel. Kinzie and Matt avoided his eyes and looked around the living room.

"What did you guys do?" asked Shaundi turning to them.

"We didn't do anything!" said Kinzie. "It was all Matt's idea!"

"Me?!" scoffed Matt. "What happened to you and your _women's intuition_?"

"Do you realise what you've done?" asked Daniel. "I never should have let you stay. I should've found a way to send you back. You don't belong here."

"What do you mean? LET us stay?" asked Kinzie. Shaundi looked at Daniel and could feel her chest grow heavy. Daniel looked at her and closed his eyes.

"Shaundi, I didn't mean it that way." said Daniel.

"Oh, I think you did." said Shaundi before turning around and walking away.

"Shaundi?!" said Daniel.

"Fuck you." said Shaundi before storming out of the room. Daniel went to follow her before The Boss pushed him back.

"You were going to send us back?" asked The Boss. "Why?"

Daniel stared in the direction Shaundi had left.

"Yo, I asked you a question." said The Boss.

"I WAS going to find a way to send you back." said Daniel. "I didn't think you belonged here."

"You dick." said Johnny.

"I'm sorry." said Daniel quietly. "I don't know what else to say."

"After all they shit we put you through." said The Boss. "I understand."

"We're sorry too." said Matt. Kinzie nodded in agreement.

"Now what?" asked Asha. "How are we going to stop Zinyak?"

Daniel looked at the television.

"Well, you guys can get hurt so I assume he can too." said Daniel. They watched as a military tank rolled down a street toward the Zin. Zinyak ripped the top off of the tank and pulled out a soldier before banging their head on the pavement.

"We're fucked." said Ben. They stood watching the Zin destroy downtown. Daniel looked behind him at the hallway. Asha watched as he left the room.


	13. It Only Takes a Minute

GLITCH

Chapter 13: It Only Takes A Minute

Daniel walked down the hallway to the kitchen. He could hear the lound crashes coming from his basement. He ran downstairs to see Shaundi picking up a computer tower and throwing it on the ground. It broke apart on the floor.

"What the fuck are you doing?" asked Daniel running over to her. Shaund picked up another tower and stared at him.

"I'm trashing your shit. What does it look like?" she said as she threw the tower against the wall.

"Look, I know you're pissed off, but this isn't how you deal with it." said Daniel. Shaundi took a keyboard and smashed it against the corner of his workbench breaking it in half.

"I don't belong here remember? I don't know how I'm supposed to act." said Shaundi tossing the broken keyboard at him. Daniel ducked to avoid it. Shaundi crossed her arms and glared at him.

"I'm sorry." said Daniel. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Oh, don't worry." said Shaundi through tight lips. "Once you find a way to get us back you can forget all about it."

Shaundi turned around and ripped his gaming console out of the wall.

"Here, find a way to get us back." said Shaundi handing it to him. Daniel looked down at the floor.

"Take it!" yelled Shaundi. She could feel her face get hot and her eyes began to water slightly.

"No." said Daniel looking at her. Shaundi shoved the console at him.

"Fucking take it!" she yelled. "You said it yourself that we don't belong here."

Daniel took the console from her. He held it tightly in his hands and stared at it before looking at Shaundi. She clenched her jaw holding back tears as she tried to contain her composure.

"I don't want this." said Daniel looking into her eyes.

He threw the console across the room. It hit the wall and smashed into tiny pieces. Shaundi stared at him with her arms crossed as he walked toward her.

"I want you." he said before placing a hand on her cheek. A tear fell down her face and he wiped it away with his thumb before pulling her in for a kiss. She kept her arms crossed, but still gave in to his kiss as he pulled her closer to him. He broke away from her before pulling her in for a hug.

"I'm sorry." said Daniel. Shaundi rested her head on his chest. He placed his hand on her back and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don't want you to leave."

"What about the others?" asked Shaundi.

"I don't care if they leave." said Daniel jokingly. Shaundi laughed before looking up at him. Daniel rubbed her arms. Shaundi looked around the room at the damage she caused.

"I'm sorry." said Shaundi. "I really did a number on your basement."

"Yeah." said Daniel smiling. Shaundi looked into his eyes and gave him a stern look.

"Promise me you aren't an asshole." said Shaundi.

"You've dated a lot of those haven't you?" he asked her. Shaundi sighed.

"Of course you know that." said Shaundi. Daniel smiled.

"I promise I'm not an asshole." said Daniel. "Promise me something."

"What?" asked Shaundi.

"Promise me you'll never get dreadlocks EVER again." said Daniel.

"I don't think that will be a problem." said Shaundi smiling. They heard the sound of breaking glass come from upstairs.

"_Pierce! What did you do?" _yelled Kinzie.

"_I didn't do anything_!" yelled Pierce.

"_Pierce, from now on you aren't allowed to touch anything_." said The Boss.

Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll be lucky if I still have a house by the time this is all over." said Daniel. Shaundi looked over her should at the the broken console.

"I bet you regret breaking that thing don't you?" asked Shaundi. Daniel gently grabbed her chin and turned her to look at him.

"No." said Daniel leaning in to kiss her. Shaundi leaned in to him and ran her hands up his back. He was still shirtless and his skin was warm against her touch. Shaundi parted her lips as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Their lips met and Shaundi felt herself relax in his embrace. They explored each other's mouths, taking each other in with each breath before pulling a part.

"I really like doing that." said Daniel. "You're really good at it."

"I've had a lot of practice." said Shaundi before pulling him in for another kiss.

Daniel used his right arm to clear off his work bench pushing his tools to the floor. He layed Shaundi down on the table and began to kiss her neck as he slid his hand up her shirt. Shaundi sucked in a breath of air through her teeth as she ran her fingers through his hair. Daniel ran his hand up her shirt and massaged her breast through her bra. Shaundi pulled him up by his hair and brought his lips to hers. Daniel's hand moved south to undo the button on her pants. He slipped his hand in and rubbed between her legs. Shaundi pushed her hips against his hand eager for more. Their kiss became more intense and Shaundi ran her hands down the inside of his underwear. They were so involved in each other that they didn't notice The Boss standing in the basement stairwell.

"Ehem." said The Boss.

Shaundi and Daniel stopped suddenly to look at him. Daniel's hair was sticking up from Shaundi grabbing it. Both were out of breath.

"You're...uh...really working hard on that apology aren't you?" asked The Boss smiling.

"Is something wrong?" asked Daniel.

"No, it's just that there's an evil alien overlord tearing up the city to find us and I was just wanting to go over a plan for stopping him. It's okay though. I'll come back later." said The Boss.

"We'll be up in a minute." said Daniel.

"Is that all it takes here? A minute?" asked The Boss. "Sorry, Shaundi."

"Thanks, Boss." said Shaundi sarcastically. "We'll be up in a bit."

"Take all the time you need." said The Boss smiling before walking back up the steps.

Daniel and Shaundi exchanged looks and smiled at each other.

"We'll make it quick." said Daniel. "But I promise it will be longer than a minute."

Shaundi laughed before kissing him again as they resumed their previous course.


	14. Taking Back Downtown Part 1

**NOTE: This is a very long chapter so I had to divide it up into two parts. It's still pretty long, but I'm hoping it's not too much of a problem. Part 2 will be uploaded tomorrow! Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 14: Taking Back Downtown Part 1

Daniel sat on his bed with a first aid kit next to him. He took the dirty gauze off his shoulder and tossed it aside before grabbing a clean bandage. After cleaning his wound he grabbed some medical tape and began to tape down the edges of the gauze to his shoulder.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi walking into his room. She saw him try to rip a piece of tape off. He winced under the strain of his muscles. He tried to rip it with his teeth and pulled off a piece that was too big.

"Shit." said Daniel crumbling the tape in his right hand. "How was I able to do this before?"

"Here." said Shaundi walking over to him. "Let me."

Daniel held the gauze in place as Shaundi ripped off a piece of tape. He watched her with soft eyes as she taped down the edges of the gauze.

"I can feel your eyes." said Shaundi putting the tape back into the first aid kit. Daniel smiled and grabbed a blue t-shirt laying next to him.

He tried to slip it over his head like he would normally, but the pain of his shoulder stopped him. Instead, he slipped his right arm in first and then his left being very cautious of his shoulder. Daniel stood up and grabbed a pair of jeans hanging on the back of a chair and put them on. Shaundi packed up the rest of the first aid kit and turned to him. Daniel smiled at her.

"What?" asked Shaundi raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing." said Daniel still smiling. The sound of the door bell took his attention away from her.

"I bet that's Andrew." he said before walking out of the room. Shaundi watched him leave before following him out.

Andrew was already in the living room with the rest of the group. Kinzie, Asha, and Pierce were sitting together on the couch. Andrew went and scooched his way in between Kinzie and Asha. He turned to look at Asha and put a hand on her leg.

"Miss me?" he asked her.

"On the contrary" said Asha picking his hand up off her leg by his middle finger. "I was beginning to think the day couldn't get any worse."

Asha stood up off the couch and walked across the room. Andrew smiled.

"You look even better when you leave." he said before turning to Kinzie. She wasn't amused. Andrew cleared his throat when he saw Daniel enter the room. Andrew got up and walked over to him. Kinzie and Pierce were the only ones left on the couch. They glanced at each other before quickly looking away.

"Hey, did you bring what I asked?" asked Daniel.

"Yeah, but why would you need such heavy artillery?" asked Andrew. "What exactly are you guys going to do?"

"Andrew, haven't you been watching the news?" asked Daniel. "LA is being attacked."

"That's just a prank man. Those things aren't real." said Andrew pulling a joint out of his pocket. Daniel smacked it out of his hand.

"They are real and they're tearing the city apart trying to find us." said Daniel.

"What have you been smoking?" asked Andrew before leaning in close to him. "Do you have anymore?"

"Andrew, I'm fucking serious. THEY'RE REAL!" said Daniel grabbing Andrew's shoulders. Andrew stared at him for a moment.

"Really?" asked Andrew still skeptical. A simultaneous groan from The Saints filled the room.

"Oh my gawd!" yelled Asha in frustration. "Why are we asking this guy for help? May I remind you that he almost got us killed not too long ago?"

"Hey, I apologized for that." said Andrew picking his joint up off the floor.

"Oh, and that's supposed to make it better?" asked Asha crossing her arms.

"You want me so bad don't you?" asked Andrew. "It's driving you crazy how bad you want me."

"Oh, yes, please. Do me right here in front of everyone. I just can't take it anymore." said Asha sarcastically. Andrew looked around before turning back to her.

"Really?" he asked her.

"NO!" said Asha.

"Way to get my hopes up." said Andrew putting the joint in his mouth.

"Alright, enough. No more wasting time." said The Boss. "Let's get our gear and go kill Zinyak."

"Right." said Daniel. "Andrew, where's the stuff?"

"It's still in my van." said Andrew lighting his joint. He took a long puff off of it before blowing a huge cloud of smoke out of his mouth.

"Give me the keys so I can get it." said Daniel reaching his hand out.

"Nope." said Andrew. "Wherever it goes, I go. This is high dollar equipment."

"Fine." said Daniel. "Then let's stop wasting time and get the fuck out of more time we spend standing the around, the more damage Zinyak will cause."

xxxxxxxxx

The group drove downtown. People were lined up on the highway trying to leave town. Military road blocks kept anyone from entering the city as smoke stacks from destroyed buildings filled the sky. Matt looked out of the van window as they drove.

"How could have caused so much damage so fast?" asked Matt.

No one answered him. They were just as shocked by what they were seeing. Andrew came to a road block and stopped the car.

"Sorry. No one is allowed in." said a soldier.

"We really need to get to downtown." said Daniel.

"Are you crazy? Downtown is gone man." said the soldier. "You're not getting through."

Andrew stepped on the gas and broke through the road block popping one of his front tires.

"What the fuck man?!" asked Daniel holding on to his seat as Andrew sped down the highway.

"They weren't going to let us through." said Andrew. Sparks began to flare as the rim of his tire scraped against the pavement.

"We could have went around." said Daniel. "There are other routes into the city."

"But this way is faster." said Andrew. He swerved when he realised he was going to miss the turn-off for downtown. Everyone in the car leaned to one side and held on tight. Andrew kept his foot on the gas until they reached the out skirts of the city. He parked his car and got out. Matt jumped out the car and bent over before puking on the pavement.

"Fuck, you got vomit on my new shoes." said Ben grabbing a newspaper on the ground. He began to wipe his shoe off with it.

"I'm sorry. I guess I got a bit car sick." said Matt wiping his mouth.

"We understand." said Asha glaring at Andrew. He ignored her and opened the back of his van.

"Everyone still have their guns?" asked Andrew.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" asked Johnny cocking his pistol. Andrew raised his eyebrows and smiled. He passed out several ear buds to each of them.

"What are these?" asked Ben.

"They're so we can communicate with each other." said Andrew. "It's what the secret service uses."

"Nice." said The Boss. "Seems fitting doesn't it?"

"You're not the President anymore." said Matt. "So, not really."

Andrew reached into his van and pulled out several SMGs, thigh holsters, and belts for them to store extra ammo. Shaundi watched Daniel put on the gear and helped him when he struggled to put the SMG over his shoulder. He smiled at her in appreciation.

"And now, for the big reveal." said Andrew. He pulled out two high powered sniper rifles and showed them off.

"Asha, grab one of those and find a spot up top." said The Boss.

"On it." said Asha grabbing a rifle. She put it on her back and began climbing up a drain pipe on the building next to her.

"Alright, let's go kill us some Zin." said The Boss before taking off down the street. The rest followed keeping an eye out for the Zin. They passed several people dead in the street as they made there way down.

"I see them." said Asha over the comm. "Their about 500 yards ahead of you."

They turned a corner and saw the Zin camping out in the street. The bodies of fallen soldiers littered the street. One Zin picked up a dead soldier's helmet and put it on his head before pretending he was dying. Several Zin around him laughed before dispersing throughout the street.

The Boss signaled for each of them spread out. Everyone quietly dispersed as Andrew found a spot on a roof across the street from Asha. He set up his rifle and prepared to fire.

"Okay." said The Boss over the comm. "Can everyone hear me?"

"We here you Boss." said Shaundi as she crouched behind a dumpster in an alley way. Daniel and The Boss were crouched behind an abandoned car not far from her.

"Okay, on my signal open fire." said The Boss. He peeked over the the hood of the car and saw Zinyak pacing back and forth along the street with his right hand man, Zinjai, at his side. Zinyak mumbled orders to him and Zinjai obeyed.

"There you are you fucker." said The Boss. "Prepare to fire in 3, 2,-"

"Sir!" yelled a Zin soldier. "We found something we think you should see!"

Zinyak turned to see two zin soldiers pulling Shaundi out of the alley way.

"Hold your fire." said The Boss. Daniel looked around the car and saw Shaundi struggling to get free.

"Hello my dear." said Zinyak walking up to her. "If you're here then that means your friends must be very close."

He picked Shaundi up by her neck and lifted her off the ground. Shaundi kicked her legs and grabbed his hand to try and pull her neck free. He tightened his grip and her face grew red. She reached for her pistol and aimed it at Zinyak's head.

"Now, that's not very polite." said Zinyak. He grabbed the gun and twisted it. A loud pop followed by a sharp pain in her thumb made Shaundi yelp slightly. Zinyak's grip was so tight on her neck that she could only muster an gasp of air.

"You're a lot more frail than I remember." said Zinyak. "Your friends better come out of hiding soon. I don't know how much longer you can last."

"Zinyak!" yelled Daniel jumping out from behind the car. "Let her go!"

"Asha, prepare a shot for Zinyak." said The Boss over the comm.

"Got it." said Asha placing Zinyak's head in the center of the sight.

Daniel walked toward Zinyak and dumped his guns before putting up his hands. He ignored the pain in his shoulder.

"I'm un-armed." said Daniel. "Let her go."

Zinyak looked at Daniel and back at Shaundi.

"I admire your bravery young man." said Zinyak.

"Please, let her go." said Daniel. Zinyak could sense the despair in his voice.

"Oh, has a romance bloomed in my absence? How lovely. Tell me my dear, does he know about all the horrible things you've done? All the men you've slept with?" asked Zinyak.

Shaundi could feel herself begin to lose consciousness. She clawed at Zinyak's hand as her eyes began to roll back into her head.

"LET HER GO!" yelled Daniel. "PLEASE!"

Zinyak smiled.

"Very well, you're groveling amuses me." said Zinyak. He let go of Shaundi's neck and she fell to the ground. She grasped her neck gasping for air as she backed away from him. She felt a sharp pain in her hand and noticed that her thumb was pointing a strange direction. It looked as if someone had ripped it off and re-attached it at a weird angle.

Daniel ran over to her and crouched down beside her.

"Shaundi? Are you alright?" asked Daniel. Shaundi nodded and struggled to stand up. Daniel helped her up before they both turned to Zinyak who was looking down at them smiling. Daniel never realized how tall Zinyak was. He stood about 9 feet tall.

"How sweet." said Zinyak with an evil smile. "Kill them."

Several Zin soldiers lifted their guns and aimed for Daniel and Shaundi.

"Fire!" yelled The Boss. Daniel and Shaundi ducked as The Saints opened fire on the Zin. Asha fired a shot at Zinyak's head and he disappeared in a swirl of red rings.

"What the fuck?" asked Asha before Zinyak appeared behind her. Asha turned on her back to look at him before he picked her up and threw her off the roof. She landed on the roof of a car denting it.

"Asha?!" asked The Boss taking cover behind a fallen newstand. "Are you alright?"

He didn't get an answer. Andrew watched her through the sight of his rifle.

"C'mon, sweetheart." he said quietly. "You're okay."

"I'm not your sweetheart." said Asha with a moan. She rolled off the car and grabbed her side arm.

"She's okay." said Andrew. "But I was hoping that fall would knock some sense into her."

"Not likely." said Asha as she popped several rounds into a Zin soldier's torso.

Shaundi and Daniel ducked several shots as they made their way to cover. On the way, they were cut off by one of the Zin. Shaundi ran and slid between his legs grabbing his side arm in the process. She came up behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Blood spatter flew all over Daniel.

"Nice." said Daniel squinting his eyes. Shaundi picked up a Zin rifle and tossed it to him. They stood back to back firing shots at the Zin.

Pierce, Kinzie, Ben, Matt, and Johnny walked side by side firing their guns at every Zin soldier in their path. They caught up to The Boss who joined them in line and began firing along side them. Soon, Asha joined them. Andrew provided cover fire from the rooftop.

Zin began to fill in behind them and The Boss felt a hot burning sensation in his side. A Zin lazer grazed his abdomen. It didn't phase him. The Boss turned around and began firing. Pierce and Johnny did the same. It was no use. There were too many of them and they were beginning to run low on ammo. It took almost an entire clip to bring down one Zin soldier.

"Boss?! I'm almost out of ammo and we're running out of options here!" yelled Kinzie.

"I know!" yelled The Boss.

"There's a manhole cover a few feet ahead of you guys." said Andrew. "I'll create a distraction while you guys pry it up."

"What about you?" asked The Boss.

"I'll be fine." said Andrew. Daniel heard what he said over the comm.

"Andrew, we're not leaving without you." said Daniel.

"You don't have a choice." said Andrew. "Now go!"

Andrew fired several shots at a nearby car that had been overturned in the destruction. It exploded causing enough of a distraction for The Saints to escape.


	15. Taking Back Downtown Pt 2

**NOTE: There is still one more part left. I'm going to try and have it up as soon as I can. I still have little bit left to work on. I hope you like this installment and let me know what you think of the new cover! **

GLITCH

Chapter 15: Taking Back Downtown Pt. 2

"Andrew, we're not leaving without you." said Daniel over the communicator.

"You don't have a choice." said Andrew. "Now go!"

Johnny lifted the manhole cover up and the group began to climb down one by one. Zin soldiers continued to fire at them and red lasers whizzed passed their heads. Andrew took aim from the rooftop at an overturned car on the street below him. Next to the car was a dead soldier with a grenade in his hand. The pin was still in it. Andrew adjusted his aim to the grenade.

"I hope this works." said Andrew before firing several shots at the grenade. It exploded sending the car flipping through the air. A few Zin soldiers were knocked down in the explosion while the car took off another Zin's head before landing on top of the open manhole. Kinzie was the last to make it down before the car landed.

"Holy shit." said The Boss covering his nose. "This fucking stinks."

"I know." said Ben. "Who knew the Zin would be so powerful here?"

"I meant that where we are stinks." said The Boss pointing to a dirty diaper soaked in water. "But what you said is true too."

Kinzie jumped off the ladder and wiped her hands on her pants. She walked over to Pierce and reached her arm around his back. He stared at her confused.

"Girl? What do you think you're doing?" he asked her. She smiled and pulled his pistol out of his holster.

"I dropped my gun." she said cocking it back. "I thought I could borrow yours. You have a problem with that?"

"Nah, that's cool." said Pierce shrugging her off.

"Are you guys okay?" said Andrew over the comm. His voice was distorted by static.

"Yeah, we're alright." said Daniel. "What about you?"

"I'm good." said Andrew. "I think that explosion killed a couple of 'em. You guys should've seen it. It was fucking epic!"

"We'll take your word for it." said Daniel.

Matt looked around the sewer before his eyes moved to Shaundi. He glanced over her before noticing her hand. He did a double take when he noticed her thumb pointing down toward her wrist.

"Shaundi? There is something seriously wrong with your thumb." said Matt pointing to her. The group turned to look at her.

"That's nasty." said Pierce in disgust at her awkwardly bent finger.

Daniel walked up to her and gently lifted her hand.

"Does it hurt?" he asked examining her thumb.

"Not really." said Shaundi shrugging her shoulders. Daniel grazed her thumb and Shaundi quickly pulled her hand back.

"I'm sorry." said Daniel pulling her hand back toward him. "It's dislocated."

Daniel gently wrapped his fingers around her thumb.

"This is going to hurt." he said looking into Shaundi's eyes. Daniel pulled her thumb out before popping it back into place. A small crunch noise left her hand. Shaundi closed her eyes and clenched her teeth at the pain it caused before ripping her hand away from him.

"Are you alright?" asked Daniel.

"Mmmmhmmm." said Shaundi through tight lips as she grasped her thumb with her other hand.

"Anyone mind telling me how the hell Zinyak was able to teleport like that?" asked Asha. "How is he able to do that here?"

"The only thing I can think of is that when he passed through, his technology passed with him." said Daniel. "Just like if you were to pass through with a Dubstep gun it would be real."

"What about how strong he is?" asked Ben.

"Yeah, when we came through we got weaker." said Johnny.

"Technically, we became what we really are. Human." said Kinzie. "Zinyak is, at his core, still an alien."

"Then how the fuck are we supposed to beat this guy?" asked The Boss. The group silently exchanged looks.

"He has to have some sort of weakness." said Matt. "We just have to find out what it is."

"First thing we need to do is find a way out of this sewer." said Daniel.

"Right." said The Boss. "I say we go this way."

The Boss took off down the sewer tunnel and turned left. The group followed him while Daniel and Shaundi stayed behind. Daniel tilted his head when he noticed her neck. Bruises from where Zinyak choked her were beginning to form. Daniel reached out and gently caressed her neck. Shaundi pushed his hand away.

"We should catch up before they get too far ahead." said Shaundi turning away from him before hurrying down the tunnel. Daniel sighed and followed her.

"Andrew, we're going to find a way out of here." he said over the comm. "We'll get back with you when we get up top."

"Sure thing." said Andrew. "I'll be waiting for you."

Daniel followed the group through the sewer tunnels until they came across a ladder leading up to the street. They followed The Boss up and climbed out to the street. Pierce took a deep breath of fresh air before he saw two Zin soldiers ahead of them. They were firing at two men and killed them with only a few shots.

"Shit." said Pierce pointing. The Boss took notice and opened fire on the Zin. He fired two shots into a Zin's head dropping him to the ground. Ben emptied a clip into the other Zin killing it as well.

Soon, a dozen Zin came running down the street to inspect the gunfire.

"Fuck!" said The Boss. He noticed a restaurant next to them. The windows were boarded up. "C'mon. We'll hide in here."

They quietly hurried into the restaurant and ducked out of view. They waited until the Zin were gone before standing up.

"Who the hell are you?" came a voice from behind them. They turned around to see a small group of people and a little girl standing behind a counter.

"We're not here to hurt you." said Daniel.

"Tell that to the people who just left." said an older man. "They robbed us before beating Stanley half to death."

They looked to see Stanley laying in booth severely cut and bruised.

"We're not like those people." said Daniel. "I promise."

"We'll let you stay here and rest, but one wrong move and I'll shoot you." said the older man before pulling out his shotgun. "Those last two men didn't believe me until I shot on of them in the ass."

"Hey man, we won't try anything." said Pierce putting his hands up. The man stared at them before lowering his gun.

"What are your names?" he asked. They introduced themselves to him.

"My name is Ron." he told them. He pointed to a woman next to him and the little girl. "This is my wife Donna and our little girl Sara. Feel free to rest up for a bit, but then you have to leave."

"Okay." said Daniel.

Sara walked forward and stood in front of Shaundi looking up at her. Shaundi stared down at Sara. She had pale skin with long black hair and blue eyes.

"Do you want to join my tea party?" asked Sara sweetly. Shaundi looked at her friends and back at Sara.

"Uhm...okay." said Shaundi. Sara grabbed her hand and led her to the back of the restaurant. A small tea set was arranged at a table with a teddy bear already positioned in a chair.

"You sit there next to Biggles." said Sara pointing to the chair beside the bear. Shaundi sat down and set the Zin pistol in the empty chair beside her. Sara sat down in the chair in front of Shaundi and began to pour imaginary tea into the little cups.

"Do you want some cookies?" asked Sara. Shaundi rested her hands awkwardly on the table.

"What kind are they?" asked Shaundi. Sara grabbed an empty plate and handed it to her.

"Chocolate Chip." said Sara before turning to her teddy bear. "Biggles! Those were for Shaundi!"

"What did he do?" asked Shaundi surprised by Sara's change in tone.

"He ate your cookies." said Sara. "Bad Biggles!"

"It's okay. I wasn't really that hungry anyway." said Shaundi. Sara smiled and poured more fake tea for Shaundi.

"Biggles told me to tell you that he's sorry." said Sara. She leaned it close to Biggles. "He also wants me to tell you that you're really pretty."

"Thank you Biggles." said Shaundi smiling. She couldn't believe she was talking to a teddy bear. The whole thing made her feel out of place. She wasn't really used to being around children. They made her uncomfortable.

"Are you married?" asked Sara. Shaundi was surprised by her question.

"No...I'm not." said Shaundi scrunching her eyebrows. She wondered what made Sara ask that question.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" asked Sara. Shaundi leaned back in her chair and her eyes found Daniel across the room. He was having an intense conversation with Ron by the cash register. She stared at him for a moment before answering.

"I don't know." said Shaundi keeping her attention on Daniel.

"You don't know if you have a boyfriend?" asked Sara smiling. "You're silly."

"Well, what about you?" asked Shaundi looking at her. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I'm 6." said Sara seriously.

"I see." said Shaundi feeling slightly stupid.

"Sara? Time to go get washed up. We'll be having supper soon." said Donna walking up to them.

"Okay." said Sara aggravated. She grabbed Biggles by his head and carried him to the bathroom. Donna looked at Shaundi.

"She didn't give you too much trouble did she?" asked Donna.

"No, she's fine." said Shaundi standing up.

Donna pointed to Shaundi's neck.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Shaundi covered her neck with her hand.

"I'm fine." said Shaundi forcing a smile. Donna looked at her for a moment skeptical of her answer.

"You and your friends are free to stay for supper." she said. "After that you need to leave."

Shaundi nodded and Donna walked away. She saw Daniel and The Boss leave with Ron. They were heading to a back room. Shaundi followed them.

"What are you guys up to?" she asked catching up to them. Daniel turned to her.

"We have an idea on how to defeat Zinyak." said Daniel. "It's not perfect, but it's worth a shot."

Ron went into his supply closet and pulled out several types of chemicals. He grabbed a measuring up and began pouring the chemicals into a metal mop bucket.

"What exactly is this idea?" asked Shaundi watching Ron over Daniel's shoulder.

"Napalm." said Daniel.

"It's not real Napalm, but it's very similar. This stuff will stick to any surface like glue, especially skin. I wouldn't want to be the guy who got covered in this stuff." said Ron taking a long metal spoon to mix the chemicals.

"How do you know how to make this stuff?" asked Shaundi.

"I used to teach chemistry." said Ron continuing to stir the mixture until it became a thick jelly like consistency. He grabbed several mason jars and two ladles. He and The Boss began filling the mason jars with the substitute Napalm.

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Shaundi. Daniel turned to face her.

"Let's fucking hope so." said The Boss filling a jar with the jelly. Daniel turned to her and placed a hand on her cheek.

"Shaundi, trust me." he said. "It will work."


	16. Taking Back Downtown The Finale

**NOTE:** **The final part of the battle to defeat Zinyak. I hope you like it! This took me a long time to complete, but the story is not over. I still have a long way to go yet. I hope those of you who have read this far keep reading! Please let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 16: Taking Back Downtown The Finale

The sun was beginning to set and Daniel was going over the plan with the rest of the group. He passed each of them a mason jar full of Napalm.

"So, are you guys ready?" asked Ron walking up to them. Daniel looked at The Saints.

"I think so." said Daniel. Ron eyed each one of them.

"Look, I don't know when everything went to hell, or where those things came from, but I do know that the military couldn't stop them. You guys are either very brave, or very stupid." said Ron.

"Thanks for everything, Ron." said Daniel. Ron smiled and backed away as his daughter Sara walked up holding her teddy bear. She held him up to Shaundi.

"I want you to have Biggles." said Sara. "He can be your boyfriend and protect you from monsters."

The group looked at Shaundi and she back at them. Shaundi knelt down on one knee until she was eye level with Sara.

"I think you need Biggles more than I do." said Shaundi. Without realising it, Shaundi brushed hair out of Sara's face with her fingers.

"Please take him?" asked Sara. She pushed Biggles closer to Shaundi. Shaundi smiled softly and gently grabbed Biggles from Sara.

"Thank you." said Shaundi rubbing the ear of the bear with her fingertips. Sara wrapped her arms around Shaundi's neck and hugged her. It took Shaundi by surprise and she didn't know what to do. Sara's grip was tight and hurt the bruises on her neck, but Shaundi ignored it. She placed a hand on the back of Sara's head before standing up. The Boss looked at her and down at the teddy bear.

"So, that's your new boyfriend huh?" asked The Boss with a chuckle.

"He's adorable." said Asha smiling.

"Sorry, Daniel." said Kinzie. "Doesn't look like you're her type."

"Yeah, she likes her men short and hairy." said Asha finally breaking out in laughter. The others snickered as well. Daniel just smiled at Shaundi.

"I don't have a problem kicking all of your asses right now." said Shaundi pointing at them with the bear in her hand. They stopped laughing. Daniel kept smiling and looked at the floor.

"You kids be careful now." said Ron. Asha leaned in to The Boss.

"Did he just call us kids?" she asked.

"Asha, don't." said The Boss. The group turned to leave and walked out of the restaurant in to the night.

"Andrew, where are you?" asked Daniel. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." said Andrew. "I've been tracking those big fuckers and they seem to have stopped for the night. They're near the pier."

Shuffling was heard over the communicator.

"Oh, hey. Mr. Couldkillme Inonepunch." said Andrew. "How are you?"

"Andrew?" asked Daniel. More shuffling was heard on the other end.

"Andrew is a little tied up at the moment." said Zinyak. "Can I take a message?"

"What the fuck did you do with my friend?" asked Daniel.

"Nothing...yet." said Zinyak. "See you soon."

"Fuck!" yelled Daniel. He clenched his fists tightened his jaw.

"Don't worry, he won't hurt Andrew." said The Boss. "But we should probably get to that pier as quick as possible."

They ran down the street as fast as they could making their way toward the pier.

xxxxxxx

Once they got to the edge of the pier they could see several Zin keep guard. Asha looked around and saw Andrew tied to a light post with three Zin guarding him. The group spread out quietly. It was dark so it was easy for them to move around un-seen. They turned off their communicators for fear of Zinyak hearing them. When everyone was situated The Boss whistled. The group grabbed their jars of Napalm and tossed them in the air. They each fired a shot at their jars causing a cascading rain of fire falling upon the Zin. The Zin looked up in the sky un aware of what was about to come.

The Napalm began to hit the Zin soldiers and their screams filled the night sky. They tried to brush the fire off of them but it was sticking to their skin and touching it only made the fire spread. A few Zin jumped into the ocean to put out the fire, but many didn't make it in time before inhaling flames and falling dead. Asha ran across the pier to Andrew jumping over dead Zin and shooting any that were left alive.

"Sweetheart, glad you could make it to the party." said Andrew. Asha ran around him and grabbed a knife from her utility belt to cut him loose, but not before twisting his wrist.

"I'm not your sweetheart." said Asha.

"Okay, okay, okay. You're hurting me." said Andrew.

"Good." said Asha smiling before cutting him loose. He turned around to her.

"How bout a kiss?" asked Andrew leaning close to her. "I did save your life earlier."

"Come here." said Asha smiling at him. Andrew smiled back and leaned closer to her lips before she grabbed him by the shoulders and kneed him in the groin. Andrew bent over and cupped his crotch with his hands as Daniel and the rest ran up to them.

"Jesus, what did they do to you?" asked The Boss looking at Andrew doubling over in pain. Asha raised up a hand triumphantly.

"Oh, that was me." she said happily.

"I'm impressed." said Zinyak appearing in red swirls before them. "But let's see how you handle HIM."

The ground began to shake as a red warden fell out off the sky landing in front of them.

"Oh fuck me." said The Boss. "Not these guys. How the hell are we supposed to fight that?"

"Figure something out." said Daniel. "I'll handle Zinyak."

The warden took his hand a knocked Ben and The Boss several yards back into a cotton candy stand. Shaundi and the rest ran after the warden. Daniel grabbed Shaundi's hand.

"Hey." he said. She turned to look at him. She had fastened her jacket into a makeshift pouch and put Biggles in it. She hung it off her belt.

"Yeah?" she asked walking a little closer to him.

"Be careful." said Daniel rubbing her hand with his thumb. Shaundi smiled before turning around to join the others. Daniel tugged on her hand one last time before letting go. Andrew came up behind him still recovering from Asha's hit.

"Hey man, you hitting that?" he asked pointing to Shaundi. "Nice one."

Daniel smiled at Andrew before walking to Zinyak.

"Hey Zinyak!" yelled Daniel. Andrew ran beside him.

"Yo, I don't think this is such a good idea." said Andrew. "I mean, that thing with the fire was a nice touch, but this guy isn't going to just sit and stare waiting for that stuff to fall on him."

"I know that." said Daniel."Do you have a lighter on you?"

"Yeah man, you want a toke?" asked Andrew pulling a joint out.

Daniel ignored him and walked closer to Zinyak.

"Hey! Asshole!" yelled Daniel. Zinyak turned around to face.

"Who are you?" asked Zinyak.

"My name is Daniel." he said.

"Well, Daniel. You're starting to become a nuisance." said Zinyak. "I, however, know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work."

Zinyak dissapeared as several shots rang out behind Daniel. The others were still trying to hold off the warden and were getting their asses beat.

"I know you can hear me you bastard!" yelled Daniel. "I just wanted to let you know, that your radio broadcast in your little simulation put me to sleep!"

Zinyak reappeared infront of him.

"Oh yeah, and another thing." Daniel continued. "Jane Austen sucks! I wouldn't use Pride and Prejudice to wipe my own ass!"

The Boss heard him from across the way.

"What the fuck did he just say?" he asked.

"He said Jane Austen sucks." said Johnny before getting knocked back by the warden.

"That bastard!" said The Boss.

Zinyak clenched his fists and teleported closer to Daniel before grabbing him by the neck and lifting him off the ground.

"You un-cultured sack of extraneous fluid!" yelled Zinyak tightening his grip around Daniel's neck.

"Fuck you." said Daniel through small breaths. He pulled another jar out of his pocket and smashed it on Zinyak's head. The jelly like substance spread all over his face. Zinyak dropped Daniel and rubbed his face.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Karma." said Daniel before grabbing Andrew's lighter. He flicked it on and tossed it on Zinyak. Zinyak tried to disappear but the flame reached him before he had a chance. Zinyak began to scream in agony and claw at his face. He teleported out of view still on fire taking the warden with him.

The Boss stood up out of a pile of rubble he'd been knocked into. Pierce held his nose as blood ran down his face. The rest had a few cuts and bruises, but nothing really serious.

"Did we win?" asked Matt as Asha helped him up off the ground. Shaundi met up with Daniel and they shared a smile.

"I think we did." said Daniel. "But he'll be back."

"Where did he go?" asked Pierce holding his nose. Kinzie grabbed a newspaper from the debri off the ground and tore off two pieces before sticking them up Pierce's nostrils. "What the hell?"

"It's to help with the bleeding." said Kinzie.

"I don't want those up my nose!" yelled Pierce pulling them out.

"Fine, don't accept my help." said Kinzie crossing her arms.

"I didn't ask for it!" yelled Pierce.

"Hey!" yelled The Boss pointing across the pier. Zinjai was making an escape. The Boss chased after him and jumped in the air to land on him. Zinjai disappeared and The Boss landed on the ground.

"Fuck!" yelled The Boss slamming his fist on the ground. It was then that he noticed the pier was beginning to catch fire. "Shit, let's move!"

They ran off the pier before it began to collapse under the scorched wood.

xxxxxx

They made their way back to Andrew's car when they passed the restaurant. The door was ripped off and it looked like there had been some sort of fight.

"Oh no." said Daniel running inside. The rest followed him in. The inside was completely trashed. Tables were knocked over and there were several holes in the walls. Ron's shotgun was laying on the counter. Matt looked in a corner and saw Stanley, the man who was beaten half to death, laying dead on the ground. His legs were broken and his head turned 180 degrees around facing his back. Asha covered her mouth at the scene and Andrew put his arm around her to pull her away.

"Ron?!" yelled Daniel but he got no answer. Shaundi took a step and heard a crunch under her foot. It was a small teacup. She bent down to pick it up and felt herself grow hot with anger. She clenched the tea cup in her fist when the sound of another warden echoed outside.

Shaundi stood up and grabbed Ron's shotgun before running outside.

"Shaundi?! What are you doing?" yelled Daniel chasing after her.

"Just trust me." said Shaundi. He ran out to see her slide over the hood of a car before diving under the warden's legs. She moved lightening fast and climbed up the warden's back. The warden clawed at her ripping Biggles off her belt. It jumped high in the air and Shaundi held on tight. It hit the ground hard and she almost lost her grip but quickly regained her balanced before aiming the shot gun at the warden's head. She fired shot upon shot until the barrel was empty. The warden finally knocked her off and she flew into the side of a car knocking the wind out of her. The warden stumbled around until finally falling with a loud thud on the ground in front of her. It let out a long breath before dying in the street.

"Holy shit!" said Ben.

"That was fucking awesome!" yelled The Boss.

Shaundi caught her breath and stood up. Her side hurt and she held it with her hand. Daniel ran up to her.

"Are you okay?" asked Daniel out of breath. "Why would you do that?"

Shaundi looked at him misty eyed but her face still full of anger. She leaned into him and placed her head in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"You guys made it!" said a voice behind them. Daniel and Shaundi looked up to see Ron, Donna, and Sara standing in the restaurant doorway. Shaundi turned back to Daniel and smiled. He pulled her in for a kiss un-expectedly and she gave into him. Andrew still had his arm around Asha and he began to rub his hand up and down on her arm expecting a kiss of his own. Asha elbowed him in the stomach and he doubled over. She smiled at the sound of him in pain.

Sara walked over to Shaundi and tugged on the hem of her tank top interrupting her kiss.

"Yes?" asked Shaundi still in Daniel's embrace.

"Since you have a boyfriend now, can I have Biggles back?" asked Sara. Shaundi smiled and broke away from Daniel. She limped down the street to pick up Biggles before bringing him back to Sara. She knelt down on one knee clutching her side before handing him back to her.

"You were right." said Shaundi. "He kept me safe."

Sara smiled and hugged Biggles before walking back to her parents.

"You kids are heros." said Ron. "You know that right?"

"Heros?" asked The Boss. "I like the sound of that."

"Does that mean you're going to give up your life of crime?" asked Daniel.

"Fuck no." said The Boss. Ron and Donna looked at each other confused before watching them leave. They waved goodbye as The Saints dissapeared in the darkness of the night.


	17. A Helping Hand

GLITCH

Chapter 17: A Helping Hand

Everyone poured through Daniel's front door tired and sore. Fighting Zinyak turned out to be a lot more painful than The Saints had imagined and they ached with every step they took. Pierce stumbled to the living room and plopped on the couch. He had two pieces of tissue jammed up his nose. Kinzie had finally convinced him to use them when his nose wouldn't stop bleeding. She and Asha followed him to the living room. The Boss took off his jacket and cringed when he stretched his arms to pull them out of the sleeves. Johnny, Ben and Matt all quietly made their way to the guest room and went to bed. They had to sleep on the floor on account of The Boss calling dibs on the bed.

"Night." was all The Boss could muster before he carefully walked down the hall to the guest room. Shaundi and Daniel were left standing by the front door. Shaundi was holding her side. She had single-handedly brought down a warden only to be thrown into the side of a car. She had a few cuts and bruises, they all did, but the pain in her side was brutal. It hurt with the slightest movement she made. Daniel knew she was hurting. She kept telling him she was all right, but her face told a different story. She tried to take her shoes off and lost her balance causing her to furiously grip her side. Daniel rushed over to help her.

"I'm okay." said Shaundi regaining her balance. "I'm just a little sore."

Daniel looked at her with concerned eyes.

"I mean it. I'm fine." said Shaundi. Daniel brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. She had several small cuts on her cheeks and forehead. Small bits of rubble and dust-covered her skin. His eyes moved down to her neck to see the bruised outlines of Zinyak's hands.

"Come with me." said Daniel pulling her hand gently leading her to the bathroom. Shaundi limped after him still holding her side with her other hand. They passed the living room and saw Pierce passed out on the couch with Kinzie leaning up against him fast asleep. They kept walking and Daniel stopped by his room to grab the first aid kit before finally reaching the bathroom.

Once in the bathroom, Daniel reached under the sink and pulled out a bag of cotton balls. He opened the first aid kit and pulled out a bottle of disinfectant before pouring some on a cotton ball. He applied it gently to Shaundi's face to wipe a cut. Shaundi flinched and Daniel blew on the cut. Shaundi watched him as he brushed hair out of her eyes. Her gaze was soft as was his touch. He noticed dust and rubble in her hair and sighed.

"These cotton swabs aren't going to do the trick." he said turning around to turn on the shower. Shaundi tried to get undressed but couldn't lift her arm to take off her tank top without feeling a sharp pain in her side. Daniel helped her lift it over her head revealing a dark bruise from the under part of her left arm down to her hip. Daniel gently pushed on her ribcage to feel for any broken ribs. She winced a little at the pressure it caused. The water began to get hot and steam started to fill the bathroom. Shaundi was able to pull her pants off as Daniel undid her bra. She let her hair down before Daniel helped her into the hot shower. The water hit her skin and she tilted her head under the falling water. She let her arms fall to her side as she relaxed a little and closed her eyes. The sound of the shower curtain startled her a little bit as Daniel climbed in behind her.

Shaundi felt his hands cup her shoulders before he gently ran them down her arms. She leaned back until she felt his chest against her backside. He brought a hand to rest on her stomach just above her bellybutton. He wet a cloth and lathered it with soap before gently running it over her body. Shaundi leaned her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Daniel ran the cloth over her breasts as soap ran down her cleavage. He ran it up along her neck and shoulders. Shaundi reached her hand back and rested it on the side of his ass as he soaped the cloth again. She felt him run the cloth along her thigh and up to her stomach before traveling back down between her legs. She let out a soft moan when she felt his lips gently caress her neck. He reached out in front of her to grab the shampoo and poured a small amount into his hand. He slowly lathered her hair with his left hand as his right hand held her close to him. Once her hair was nice and lathered, he turned her around to face him. Daniel took a moment to look at her bruised body and he felt his chest grow heavy. He hated that she was in pain. Shaundi opened her eyes to look at him when she felt his hand cup her cheek. They locked eyes for a moment before he tilted her head back to rinse her hair.

After he rinsed her off he pulled her close to him until her breasts smashed up against his chest. He held her close with his left arm as he turned off the water. Shaundi looked at him. She could have done everything on her own, but she could tell he was worried about her. She couldn't remember another time when a man had shown so much affection toward her. Daniel helped her out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. He gave her a smile before gently pulling on the towel to bring her close. He placed a soft kiss on her lips before grabbing a towel to cover his waist. He led her back to his bedroom.

Once in the room, Shaundi dropped her towel revealing her naked body. She pulled Daniel by his hand toward his bed. He dropped his towel as she backed onto the bed. Daniel crawled in on top of her and kissed her on the lips. She opened her lips and slid her tongue into his mouth and he reciprocated. He felt her hands run up his back before feeling her lips tighten as a painful groan left her mouth. Her hand left his back to clutch her side. Daniel broke their kiss and layed down beside her. He pulled the covers up around them before scooting close to her until his stomach was touching her side and put his arm around her waist. Shaundi put her hand on his arm and caressed it with her thumb. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. The last thing she remembered was his warm body and soft breath on her skin before falling asleep in his arms. Daniel watched her sleeping. He still couldn't believe that she was laying next to him. He couldn't believe how quickly the fast few days had passed. He couldn't believe how deeply he cared for her and he wondered if she felt the same about him.

Daniel kissed her forehead before laying his head down. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep relishing her touch and hoping that when he woke up, she'd still be there.


	18. Re-decorating

**NOTE: I hope you enjoy this chapter. I introduce a new gang whose names will be revealed in the next chapter. Let me know what you think! **

GLITCH

Chapter 18: Re-decorating

"So you're telling me that you have no idea how the security alarms were tripped?" asked a detective. He was interviewing a security guard from a local bank.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." said the security guard.

"You expect me to believe that?" said the detective. "Several people reported hearing a loud explosion before the alarms went off. You're telling me you didn't hear anything?"

"I..." the security guard was hesitant to answer him.

"Don't bullshit me." said the detective.

"I was sleeping, all right?" said the security guard. "The alarms woke me up. I didn't want to say anything. If my boss finds out I was sleeping on the job he'll fire me."

The detective looked at the security guard suspiciously before an officer entered the room.

"Detective Randal? Mallone has been trying to reach you." said the officer. "She says it's important and that you should get back to the bank as soon as possible."

"Fine." said the detective. "Keep an eye on this guy. Make sure he doesn't leave."

The officer stayed behind as the detective left the room.

xxxxxxx

Back at the bank, several cop cars surrounded the entrance. Randal got out of his car and made his way inside to meet his partner, Mallone.

"What's up?" asked Randal.

"Randal, you need to see this." said Mallone leading him back to the vault. "Remember how people said they heard an explosion? Well...look."

Mallone pointed to inside the vault. The entire floor had been blown out leading to a sewer tunnel below.

"The vault had a solid metal floor with several layers of concrete surrounding it. Who ever did this had some serious fire power." said Randal.

"I think I can help you with that." said Mallone handing him a small yellow post-it note with purple writing on it. "This was found stuck to the inside of the vault door."

Randal read the note.

"Compliments of The Saints."

xxxxxxxx

Daniel stood holding a drink as he watched The Saints do what they did best, have fun. Six months had passed since they defeated Zinyak. The news brushed the whole thing off as some elaborate hoax. Some people blamed video games, one in particular, Saints Row. Fans of the series were quick to catch on to the resemblance of the aliens that attacked Los Angeles to the ones in the game. Saints Row game sales sky rocketed. Since then, The Saints have begun to make a name for themselves. They had taken out every known gang in L.A. causing the lesser known gangs to flee in fear that they would be next. The Saints were back on top, for real this time. The Boss, however, wasn't happy. The Saints name had become famous, but no one knew what they looked like. Daniel had convinced them to stay out of the lime light. If they were going to persue a life of crime, they had to be careful. Fingerprints weren't a problem. They had no records what so ever, so they couldn't be traced. When they went out to rob a bank or fight a gang, they made sure to wear masks to hide their identities.

Daniel looked around and took a drink. They had accumulated a lot of money in their exploits and were able to buy themselves a bigger place. It was a penthouse apartment. Daniel kept his old house, but he spent most of his time in the new crib. He even helped them re-decorate. Every wall was covered in various shades of purple and the floor was shiny white tile. It had an open floor plan complete with a second story for extra bedrooms. The bigger bedrooms were on the first floor.

"I guess old habits die hard." said Shaundi walking over to him. She was wearing purple skinny jeans with black belt and a tight white tank top. The outfit really showed off her curves.

"What?" asked Daniel. They were throwing a party and he couldn't hear her over the loud music.

"I said old habits die hard!" she yelled over the loud music. "What are you doing standing over here by yourself?"

"I'm just thinking." said Daniel leaning back on the counter overlooking the kitchen.

"Thinking about what?" asked Shaundi smiling. Her eyes softened as she came closer to him. She leaned her body against his and ran her hand up his body on the outside of his black t-shirt until finally resting on his neck. With his drink in hand, Daniel wrapped his arm around her.

"Nothing much." said Daniel softly.

"You know, a lot of guys have asked me to dance tonight." said Shaundi bringing her hand down to his chest. She drew little circles on his shirt.

"Really?" asked Daniel.

"Yeah, I had to turn them down." said Shaundi. "I've been waiting for someone special to ask me."

"Like who?" asked Daniel smiling.

"You see that guy over there?" asked Shaundi pointing to a man across the room. He had a short brown hair with chiseled features. "He's a doctor and I just heard that he divorced his wife."

"Hmmmm, sounds like a keeper." said Daniel cracking a smile at her joke.

Shaundi smiled back and gave Daniel a light kiss on the lips.

"C'mon." she said pulling him toward the open floor. A large group of people were dancing to Dancing in the Dark by Dev.

"Wait, you were serious?" asked Daniel.

"Daniel, please. Will you just this once forget about everyone else and dance with me?" asked Shaundi.

"You know I hate dancing." said Daniel. Shaundi smiled and leaned in close to whisper in his ear. Her tone was sexual as she described what she would do to him later that night. Daniel put down his drink.

"Let's dance." said Daniel pulling her out to the dance floor. Asha, Matt, Andrew, and Kinzie were all dancing together.

"What took you so long?" asked Asha dancing next to Andrew.

"I had to bribe him." said Shaundi as she began to move to the beat. She put her arms around Daniel's neck and danced close to him. Andrew reached out and grabbed Asha's ass.

"I said no touching." said Asha slapping his hand away. Andrew rubbed the back of his hand.

"Sorry. I forgot." said Andrew.

"Honestly, how many times does that make now?" asked Matt. "You'd think he'd get the hint."

"I have a strong will." said Andrew dancing closer to Asha until his body touched hers. Asha stopped dancing and gently placed her hands on his chest.

"So do I." said Asha before pushing him back into a group of people. In the group was a huge muscular man named, Johan.

"What the fuck is your problem man?!" asked Johan lifting Andrew up by the collar of his shirt.

"There's no problem. It was an accident." said Andrew.

"You. And Me. Right now." said Johan pulling Andrew outside to the deck.

"Hey, Buff Daddy, let's talk this through." pleaded Andrew as he was dragged outside. Asha smiled.

"Are you really going to let him get beat up?" asked Shaundi.

"Why not?" asked Asha. Shaundi stared at her. "Fine. I'll go save the little twit."

Asha took off after Andrew and Johan as Matt looked across the room.

"Those guys don't look like they're here for the party." said Matt pointing at two Asian men in orange and black bike jackets. They were walking over to The Boss who was watching two girls make out next to him on the couch.

"Are you in charge here?" asked one of the men. The Boss looked up at him.

"If I am? Who wants to know?" asked The Boss.

"Soon Li would like to speak with you." said the man.

"Soon who? Never heard of him." said The Boss. "Now go away, I'm busy."

The Boss went back to watching the girls, but the men didn't budge.

"We think you should re-consider and meet with-" said the other man before The Boss cut him off.

"Look, you go tell Soon whoever that if he wants to speak with me, that he should quit being a pussy and come talk to me himself." said The Boss. The two men looked at each other.

"We were hoping to keep this civilized." said one man before pulling an SMG from under inside his jacket. The other man did the same.

"Oh shit!" yelled The Boss before jumping behind the couch. The two men began firing and the crowd began to flee for the door. The rest of The Saints ran for cover. Daniel and Shaundi hid behind a wall dividing the living room and kitchen. The two men kept firing their guns putting holes in the walls, couch, and anything that was in their line of fire until they were out of ammo. Ben ran out from behind cover when the shooting stopped to grabbed one of them from behind. The man flipped on his hands and grabbed Ben by the neck with his legs and slammed him on the floor. Johnny and Pierce ran out with their pistols at the ready. In the blink of an eye, both men twisted around and kicked the guns out of their hands.

"Fuck. These guys know some ninja shit." said Pierce before he was knocked back into the stereo by a jump kick.

Asha burst into the room and attacked one of them. He dodged her punches and went to land a punch of his own, but was interrupted when The Boss fired a shotgun in the air before aiming it at them.

"You destroyed my fucking stereo." said The Boss.

"We're sorry." said one man. "No more."

"Who are you?" asked The Boss. The others joined in and aimed their guns at the men's heads.

"We work for Soon Li." said the other man.

"Who is that?" asked The Boss.

"Come to this address and you'll see." said the man pulling a card out of his jacket pocket. The Boss took it from him.

"We'll think about it." said The Boss.

"I'll let Soon Li know you're coming." said one man before he and his partner walked out of the apartment. The Saints lowered their guns as The Boss read the card.

"Year of the Dragon Chinese Cuisine." said The Boss reading the card. "Daniel, you ever heard of this place?"

"No, it must be new." said Daniel looking at the card. The Boss flipped the card in his fingers.

"Anyone in the mood for Chinese?" he asked.

"I could eat." said Johnny.

"Alright, let's go thank Soon Li and his lackeys for their fine job on re-decorating." said The Boss before leaving the room.


	19. Soon Li's Dragons

**NOTE: I'm hoping you guys like where I'm going with this. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 19: Soon Li's Dragons

The Saints pulled up in front of Year of Dragon, the restaurant noted on the card, and got out of their cars. Shaundi, Kinzie, and Andrew rode with Daniel in his car. The rest rode with The Boss in his new purple Escalade. The car was in Daniel's name since The Boss didn't have a driver's license.

Outside the restaurant were several black crotch rocket motorcycles. A few men stood around the entrance wearing orange and black bike jackets. They stared as The Saints walked up the restaurant. Matt looked up at the sign outside. It was a giant red and orange neon dragon head with _Year of the Dragon _written in white letters with the Chinese translation written under it. The sound of motorcycles coming up the street caught their attention. They turned to see three people wearing orange and black ride up on motorcycles. The group stopped and parked their bikes in an alleyway next to the restaurant. Two of them got off their bikes. The third stepped off and The Boss couldn't help but stare as they took off their helmet. It was a woman with long black hair and with a curvatious body. She flipped her hair before removing her riding gloves and tossing them in her helmet. She and the two men with her walked toward The Saints. The Boss watched her pass and she gave him a crooked smile before walking into the restaurant. Shaundi looked at The Boss and noticed his mouth was hanging open.

"Ehem." said Shaundi pushing on the bottom of his chin. "Roll up your tongue before someone trips on it."

The Boss cleared his throat.

"Right." he said. "Let's go in."

The Saints made their way inside and were greeted by a skinny Asian man at the font counter.

"Hello, do you have a reservation?" he asked them.

"My foot will have a reservation with your ass if you don't tell me where I can find Soon Li." said The Boss grabbing the tiny man by his shirt. The man looked off to the side and signaled for two burly gaurds in black suits.

"Can I help you?" asked one of the gaurds.

"Where's Soon Li?" asked The Boss throwing the tiny man on the floor.

"She's been expecting you." said the gaurd. "Follow me."

"She?" questioned Matt as they followed the gaurds to the back of the restaurant.

They walked upstairs and down a long hallway until they reached a double door with a dragon carved into the moulding of the door frame. The gaurds patted them down and removed their weapons. The Boss protested and a gaurd drew his pistol.

"Okay. No guns." said The Boss. "Calm down."

The gaurd put away his pistol and opened the doors to let them in. They walked inside to a large circular office. A large fish tank filled one wall filled the room with a soft blue light. At the end of the room was a large desk and a man wearing black slacks and a black turtle neck stood by it. He was flipping through a stack of papers on the desk.

"You must be The Saints." said the man looking up at them. "I'm Ching Chung Lam."

Pierce and The Boss snickered at the sound of his name.

"You think something is funny?" asked Chung Lam taking a step toward them. He cracked his neck and stared at them before the doors opened behind them. In walked the woman they had seen outside. The two men that were with her followed her inside.

"Chung Lam, calm down." she said before turning to The Saints. "I'm Soon Li. You must be The Saints."

The Boss stared at her for a moment taking in her body from head to toe.

"You're Soon Li?" he asked surprised. Soon Li smiled. Daniel stepped foward.

"Wait, how do you know who we are?" he asked her. Soon Li walked to her desk.

"I was given by an anonymous tip that The Saints had taken shelter in an apartment downtown. I decided to have a few of my men check it out." said Soon Li leaning back on the edge of the desk.

"Why did you want to meet with us?" asked The Boss. Soon Li's expression turned serious.

"You've aquired some land on the coast that belongs to me. I want it back." she told him.

"Look lady, we don't know what you're talking about. Up until a few hours ago we had no clue who you were." said The Boss.

"That because until recently my brother was the one in charge." said Soon Li. "He was a terrible business man and sold some property to a gang without my father's consent. We were in negotiations to get it back when you Saints, ever so eloquently, took them over. I asked you here today to try to negotiate a deal to get it back."

The Boss smiled micheiviously.

"It's not for sale." he said stepping toward her admiring her body.

"If you won't sell it to me, then I'll have to take it by force." said Soon Li watching him walk toward her.

"I'd like to see you try." said The Boss reaching out a finger to trace her collar bone under her jacket. Soon Li gave him a half smile and gently grabbed his hand to pull it away from her.

"Okay." she said before taking his index finger and bending it sideways breaking it. The Boss grabbed his hand and let out a painful grunt before smiling at her. He liked her strength. The Saints stepped forward in an attempt to defend him when Soon Li's men aimed their pistols at them.

"I'll give you three days to decide." said Soon Li gesturing for her men to show them out. "After that, I'll be forced to take action. Either way I will get what I want."

"We'll be waiting for you." said The Boss before leaving her office. Soon Li had her back to him and he didn't see her devilish grin. Once they were gone, Chung Lam stepped beside her.

"I know what you're thinking." he said looking down his nose at her. "And shame on you."

"Relax, I got him right where I want him." said Soon Li. She looked at him and lovingly placed a hand on his cheek. "This guy only thinks with one thing and it lays between his legs."

Chung Lam clenched his jaw at the thought of her and The Boss together. Soon Li placed a kiss on his lips and looked into his eyes.

"Don't worry." said Soon Li. "Nothing will ever come between us."


	20. Interrupted

**NOTE: Please let me know what you think of this chapter! I really enjoy hearing what you guys think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 20: Interrupted

Daniel lay in bed with his arm behind his head. He couldn't sleep. His mind kept wondering, thinking about their encounter with Soon Li. She said someone tipped her off on their location. He wondered who it was and if they'd told anyone else. Shaundi turned in bed next to him and rested her head on his chest. She was still sleeping. Daniel rested his hand on her head and gently played with her hair. Shaundi let out a soft breath and brought her hand up to her face to swat Daniel's hand away.

"That tickles." she said sleepily. Little wisps of hair kept rubbing her cheeks.

"Sorry." said Daniel softly. He brought his hand down and gently ran his fingers along her arm. Shaundi pushed her body closer to his and looked up at him.

"What's bothering you?" asked Shaundi. Her eyes were tiny slits from her being half asleep.

"Nothing." said Daniel gently. "Go back to sleep."

Shaundi sat up and looked at him scrunching her brow sightly.

"I'm worried." said Daniel bringing a hand up to cup her cheek. Shaundi leaned into his hand and brought her hand up to caress his arm. Shaundi tried to give him a reassuring smile, but she was worried too. Someone knew about The Saints and where they lived. They were getting closer to death with every move they made and this time they had no extra lives.

Daniel brought his hand around to the back of her head and slowly pulled her down to him until her head was once again resting on his chest. Her eyes looked at the scar on his left shoulder from when he took a bullet for her. She brought a hand up and placed it on top of the scar. Daniel placed his hand on top of hers. They lay together in silence, neither one breaking their embrace. It wasn't long until Shaundi heard Daniel breathing deeply signaling to her that he'd fallen asleep. She sighed and closed her eyes. The last thing she heard before drifting off was the soft sound of his heartbeat.

xxxxxx

Morning came and Shaundi rolled over. Her hand hit Daniel's pillow and she opened her eyes. Daniel was sound asleep next to her. Soft yellow light from the sunrise peeked through the blinds into the room making stripes on his chest. Shaundi watched his chest rise up and down with each breath he took. She brushed a small amount of hair off his forehead. He needed a haircut.

Shaundi traced his jaw line with the back of her hand feeling the stubble on his face. She made her way down to his neck and ran her fingers along his collarbone. Daniel took a deep breath and raised his arm above his head. Shaundi stopped and stared at him for a moment making sure he was still asleep before moving her hand down further. She softly maneuvered her index finger along the outline of his abs and circled his bellybutton. Daniel moved his hand to scratch his stomach and Shaund pulled her hand away. Still sleeping, he scratched below his bellybutton before resting his hand at his side. Shaundi smiled and placed her hand back before running her fingers along the hem of his boxers. She scooted closer to him in bed and slipped her hand in on the outside of his boxers and gently rubbed him. Shaundi placed her right leg over his left as she leaned down to kiss his neck. She softly nipped at his skin with her teeth. She continued to rub him until she felt him stir awake. Shaundi looked at him and smiled.

"Good morning." said Shaundi before kissing his neck again. She went to move her hand from his boxers when he stopped her.

Shaundi looked down at her hand and back up at Daniel. He pushed her hand back down and Shaundi raised her right eyebrow before giving him a sexy grin. She let out a small chuckle before leaning back down to kiss him. She lapped at his skin lightly with her tongue as she kissed his neck. Daniel pushed her hand up and down on the outside of his boxers before rolling her over on her back. He pushed his hips into hers as he leaned down to kiss her. Shaundi ran her hand up his thigh and wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt Daniel reach down between them and begin rubbing between her legs. Shaundi broke their kiss to let out a soft moan. Daniel felt her wetness soaking through her panties as he rubbed her. She arched her back into him when he moved her panties aside and slipped his fingers inside of her. She moaned loudly and placed her hand over her mouth. The Boss' room was right next door and she didn't want him to hear her. Daniel began to massage between her legs, gingerly moving his fingers in and out of her.

Shaundi removed her hand and slammed it on the bed before grabbing the sheets gripping them tightly in her fingers. Daniel lifted her tank top to kiss her stomach while continuing to finger her. Shaundi placed her lips tightly together and raised her hips off the bed. Daniel kept going and kissed her breast before placing his lips around her nipple. Shaundi let out a low moan before grabbing his face and pulling him up to her lips.

She wrapped her legs around him again as Daniel rolled over on his back. Shaundi straddled his waist and pulled down his boxers. She slipped her panties to the side before lowering herself on to him. Shaundi leaned back and placed her hands on his legs for leverage as she slowly began to ride his cock. Daniel closed his eyes for a moment before sitting up. Wrapping his arm around her, he kissed her chest using his other arm for balance. Shaundi continued to ride him and wrapped both of her hands around his head pushing his lips harder on her breast. Daniel let out a breath against her skin and lightly licked her nipple. Shaundi increased her speed moving her hips faster and harder until there was a knock on the door. Her and Daniel kept completely still in each other's arms.

"Boss has called a meeting. He wants everyone in the living room." said Asha from outside the door.

"Okay." said Shaundi yelling slightly so Asha could hear her.

"Now." said Asha with urgency.

"Okay, we'll be right there." said Shaundi with a hint of aggravation in her voice. She heard Asha walk away and looked at Daniel. He let out a breath of disappointment as they separated to put on their clothes.

xxxxxxx

In the living room, The Boss was discussing a plan to take out Soon Li.

"We're going to need to watch her, find out where she goes, where she lives, how many men she travels with." said The Boss pacing the floor.

Daniel and Shaundi entered the room. Daniel put on his shirt as he walked in.

"Nice of you to join us." said Asha smiling at them. Shaundi crossed her arms and ignored her.

"What's up?" asked Shaundi to The Boss.

"We need to keep watch on Soon Li." said The Boss. He looked down at his broken finger. He'd put it in a poorly done make shift cast.

"This man wants us to follow the bitch all over the city." said Pierce sitting on the couch next to Kinzie. He stretched his arm out behind her. Kinzie crossed her legs and put her feet on the coffee table.

"Once we know more about her, the better chance we have at defeating her." said The Boss.

The group exchanged looks. It made sense.

"Alright, I already called Andrew and he's bringing over the equipment we'll need." said The Boss. "Get ready, we're going on a stake out."


	21. Surveillance

**NOTE: I hope you like the new characters! Let me know what you think of them :)**

GLITCH

Chapter 21: Surveillance

The Saints sat outside of Year of the Dragon in two white vans. Andrew had brought some high-tech equipment for surveillance of Soon Li. He sat in the driver's seat of one van a block away from the restaurant . Shaundi was sitting next to him in the passenger seat, while Asha and Matt sat in the back. Matt had on a headset and was quickly typing on a high-tech laptop. He and Kinzie had regained their status as tech geeks and often used their ability to help in their exploits. Daniel and the rest were in the other van outside of the restaurant. Johnny was playing a game on his phone. Pierce was trying to tell Johnny what to do in order to win and Johnny kept shoving him away.

"I know what I'm doing." said Johnny before the getting a _game over_. Johnny stared at his phone. "Come on! That's not fair!"

"My turn." said Pierce grabbing the phone from him.

Kinzie was typing away on her laptop and smiled at the two of them.

"Kinzie, you find anything out about Soon Li yet?" asked The Boss. He was sitting in the passenger seat.

"Not much." said Kinzie opening up a webpage. "I'm finding a lot on her brother though."

"Who?" asked The Boss.

"Po Li, died three weeks ago. He was found dead in his apartment with a single bullet wound to the head." said Kinzie reading the webpage.

"Must have pissed somebody off." said Johnny.

"Quiet." said Daniel. "There she is."

The Boss leaned forward to look past Daniel out of the driver's side window. He saw Soon Li walk out of the restaurant with three Dragons in tow. Chung Lam and an older man followed them out.

"Who's the old guy?" asked The Boss.

"Must be her dad." said Daniel watching them. Kinzie pulled up another webpage.

"Cheng Li, born in Hong Kong in 1965. Came to America in 1985 and opened a series of successful businesses. Went to prison for embezzlement in 1996, but was later released when new evidence proved that his business partner, Jin Fun, was the culprit. Fun was later found dead in his home after he took an entire bottle of prescription pain killers."

"Damn." said Ben watching Pierce play the game on Johnny's phone. Neither one of them were paying attention. The Boss continued to watch Soon Li as she got on her motorcycle. Chung Lam and her father got into a black car and followed her as she sped off down the road.

"Let's move." said The Boss. Daniel put the van in drive and followed them. Andrew saw them drive off and took off after them.

They followed Soon Li to a graveyard where she got off her motorcycle. The Dragons stayed behind as she, Chung Lam, and her father walked to a white gravestone. It looked new and the dirt around it still loose. Soon Li crouched down and touched the gravestone before pulling out a white flower from her jacket pocket. She placed it gently on the ground before turning around to look at her father. He was smoking a cigarette. Soon Li hugged him and he put his arm around her. Chung Lam stood off to the side with his hands behind his back. Soon Li pulled away from her father before walking back to her motorcycle. Her father flicked his cigarette at the grave before walking off toward his car. Chung Lam looked at the cigarette before stepping on it and twisting his foot. He kicked a bit of dirt behind him before following Cheng Li to his car.

Soon Li drove off while Chung Lam and her father stayed behind.

"What now?" asked Asha over her communicator.

"You guys stay here and keep an eye on them. We'll go after Soon Li." said The Boss. "Keep your distance. We don't want to tip them off."

"No problem." said Andrew.

"Be careful." said Daniel before driving off.

"You too." said Shaundi. She turned to look out of the window and put a pair of binoculars to her eyes. Chung Lam and Cheng Li were standing by the car talking intensely.

"I wish we could hear what they're saying." said Asha.

"Hand me the parabolic microphone." said Andrew. Asha raised her lip and stared at him confused.

"The black funnel looking thing next to you." said Andrew. Asha looked beside her and picked up the microphone before handing it to him.

He put on a pair of headphones and turned on the device before handing the microphone to Shaundi to place by the window. He messed with some dials on the device before finally picking up their voices.

"What are they saying?" asked Shaundi.

"I don't know. They're speaking some sort of gibberish." said Andrew. Asha grabbed the headphones from him and put them on. She listened for a minute before staring at Andrew.

"They're speaking Chinese, you idiot." said Asha slapping him on the back of the head. She took off the headphones and gave them back to him.

"Oh, I knew that." said Andrew putting them back on. Shaundi smiled and shook her head when Asha gave him a _yeah right_ look.

"Hey, what's going on?" asked The Boss over the communicator. "Found anything out?"

"We found out about the negative side effects of excessive marijuana use." said Asha glaring at Andrew.

"What about you guys?" asked Shaundi.

"She's still driving." said The Boss. "We'll let you know what we find out."

"They're talking about Soon Li's brother." said Matt listening to his headset. He'd hacked into Chung Lam's cell phone and used it to listen in on the conversation. He was running their conversation through a translator.

"Something about how his death could have been avoided." said Matt hitting the laptop. The signal kept cutting out on him. The laptop flickered before shutting down unexpectedly. "Dammit!"

"It's alright." said Shaundi. "Looks like they're leaving."

Cheng Li and Chung Lam got into the car and drove off. Andrew followed them, but kept a safe distance. He followed them through the city to a narrow back road that led to a huge house on a hill. The car turned into a gated driveway and Andrew parked the van.

"Boss?" asked Shaundi. "They stopped at a house. Where are you?"

"Right behind you." said The Boss. Shaundi heard the sound of motorcycles coming up the road. Soon Li and her men pulled into the driveway and Daniel parked the van behind Andrew.

They kept watch until nightfall when the lights from inside the house began to turn on. The Boss used his binoculars to look at the house and came to a window on the top floor of the huge house. He saw the shadow of Soon Li getting undressed in the window. He watched her intently until the light to her room turned off.

"Wait here." said The Boss opening the van door.

"Where are you going?" asked Daniel.

"Just stay here and keep watch." said The Boss grabbing his pistol. He screwed on a silencer before taking off toward the house.

"What the hell is he doing?" asked Shaundi over the communicator. She saw The Boss jump the wall surrounding the house.

"I think he's going to try and kill Soon Li in her sleep." said Daniel.

The Boss landed on the lawn on the other side of the wall. He kept in the shadows as he made his way to the house. He climbed up the terrace until he came to Soon Li's bedroom window. He peaked through to see the outline of her body under the covers of her bed. He looked behind him and saw a partially open window. The Boss climbed through it and into a bathroom. It was decorated in an oriental style.

He slowly walked to the door and gently opened it before looking out in the hall. One of Soon Li's Dragons walked by and The Boss ducked behind the door. The Dragon walked into the bathroom and began to urinate in the toilet. The Boss crept up behind him and put him in a choke hold until he passed out. He picked up the unconscious Dragon and put him in the tub before pulling the shower curtain to shield his body. Creeping out into the hallway, The Boss cautiously made his way to Soon Li's bedroom. He slowly opened her door and crept inside.

The room also had an oriental feel, but with a few western touches thrown in. The Boss saw Soon Li in bed and walked up to her. He pulled out his pistol and aimed it at her head. He thought about pulling the trigger, but couldn't. Instead, he smiled and pulled her covers down. He wanted to get a look at her body before he killed her.

"What the fuck?" asked The Boss when she wasn't there. Soon Li had put pillows under the covers to mimic her body.

She came out of the darkness and grabbed him from behind. The Boss pushed her off and pulled the gun on her. She kicked it out of his hand before landing a punch on his face. The Boss rubbed his cheek and smiled at her. Soon Li went to punch him again, but The Boss blocked it. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him twisting her around until her back was to him. He smelled her hair as he pinned her close. Soon Li struggled for a moment to get free before head butting him. She flipped him on to the ground and ran to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out several throwing knives. She turned and threw one at him as he stood up from the floor. The knife missed him, just barely, before sticking into the wall behind him. She went to throw another knife at him, but he used his body to ram her against her dresser. He grabbed her hands and twisted them until she dropped the knives on the floor. Soon Li stared angrily at him as he pinned her tightly against the dresser.

The Boss looked into her eyes. They were red with anger. Her lips were pursed tightly and her breath was short and fast. He moved his body closer to her. She tried to free her arms from his grasp, but his grip was too tight. The Boss looked at her cleavage poking through the top of her black tank and smiled. Soon Li looked at him. He was inching closer to her lips. The Boss slammed his mouth onto hers and pushed his tongue into her mouth. Soon Li resisted for a moment before she gave in to him. The Boss let go of her hands and groped her breasts. She brought a hand up to his face as he continued to kiss her. He slipped his hand under her shirt, the cast on his finger snagging the fabric a little. Soon Li massage the roof of his mouth with her tongue as she reached behind her.

There was a knife on the dresser and she grabbed it before bringing it up to his neck. The Boss grew stiff as she placed the blade against his jugular.

"Go ahead." said The Boss.

Soon Li pressed the edge of the knife hard against his skin, but not enough to cut him. She looked at his face. He wasn't afraid at all. The door to her bedroom opened and Chung Lam burst in. The Boss pushed Soon Li back. He bolted for the window and jumped through shattering the glass. Chung Lam ran to the window and looked down to see The Boss running across the lawn. He turned his attention to Soon Li.

Chung Lam's fists were clenched tightly as he walked up to her.

"You let him get away." said Chung Lam slapping her with the back of his hand. Soon Li looked at him, furious. She still had the knife in her hand and brought it up to slice his cheek. Chung Lam screamed and backed away from her holding his cheek with his hand. Blood poured down his face.

"Remember who you're talking to." said Soon Li. Her face was hot from anger. "Don't you ever hit me again."


	22. Family Matters

**NOTE: This is a very important chapter. Please read it as it gives you a glimpse at how Soon Li's family really is and is very important in understanding what happens in the next chapter.**

GLITCH

Chapter 22: Family Matters

Soon Li pulled up on her motorcycle outside of a small white house. Her Dragons pulled up behind her. She stared at the house for a moment before getting off of her motorcycle. It was night-time and the house was quiet. She snapped her fingers and a Dragon walked up to her. He handed her a Molotov cocktail. She lit the rag and threw it at the house setting it on fire. The rest of the Dragon's threw their own Molotov's until the entire home was up in flames.

Screams from those inside the house echoed throughout the street as the huge flames filled the night sky. Soon Li smiled and began to turn around until she heard the sound of a small child crying. She turned back to look at the house as a woman ran out holding the child tightly in her arms. The woman had fear written all over her face as she heard her husband being burned alive inside. Soon Li took a step toward the woman, her eyes were wide. A Dragon stepped forward with a gun aimed at the woman and her child. Soon Li placed her hand on the gun and had him lower it. The woman continued to run down the sidewalk toward Soon Li before the house exploded behind her. The woman was hit with a piece of debris knocking her on the floor. Soon Li walked up to the woman and knelt down by her.

Soon Li turned the woman on her back and quickly stood up. It was Song, a waitress at Year of the Dragon. Song stared up at Soon Li.

"We didn't do anything." pleaded Song. "Please, let me and my son go."

Soon Li looked at Song's son. He was crying as he gripped the sleeve of his mother's shirt. She stared at the two of them for a moment before turning around to get back on her motorcycle. Her fists were clenched at her side as she walked. She got back on her motorcycle and sped off down the road with her Dragons in tow.

xxxxxxx

3 WEEKS EARLIER...

Po Li sat on his couch dividing lines of cocaine on his coffee table. He bent down and sniffed three lines, one right after the other. He rubbed his nose with his fingers before leaning back on the couch ready to welcome his high.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

There was someone at his front door. Po sniffed the air and cleared his throat before getting up to answer.

"Who is it?" asked Po before opening the door.

"Open the door." said a voice on the other side. It was Chung Lam.

Po opened the door to let Chung Lam inside.

"What's up man?" asked Po as he walked back to his couch. Chung Lam looked around his house. It was a mess. Needles, pills, and other drugs were scattered all over.

"You promised your father you would quit." said Chung Lam.

"I will. I will." said Po. "I just need some time to get things in order."

Chung Lam picked up a small bag of cocaine.

"Is this the product you've been selling?" asked Chung Lam. Po smiled.

"Yeah." said Po as he began dividing more lines of cocaine. Chung Lam turned around holding the bag in his hand.

"We've had some complaints about some of the drugs you've been selling." said Chung Lam.

"I haven't heard anything." said Po leaning down to snort a line of coke.

"Probably because you've been getting high for the past week." said Chung Lam. He threw the bag of cocaine at Po. "We know you're lacing the drugs with something. What is it?"

"Nothing. Just a little levamisole." said Po.

"What?!" screamed Chung Lam.

"Relax. We're getting more product out of it. The more product we have the more we sell." said Po.

"Do you realize what you've done?!" asked Chung Lam. "Do you even know what levamisole does?"

"No, but it can't be that bad. Dealers do it all the time." said Po leaning back on his couch.

"Stupid dealers do that." said Chung Lam. "Levamisole causes your skin to rot. What do you think will happen when someone snorts that up their nose?"

Po sat quietly.

"People won't buy a tainted product. If news gets out that we laced our product with levamisole, do you think they'll want to buy from us?" asked Chung Lam stepping toward Po.

Po looked down avoiding Chung Lam.

"What about that property on the coast? Where are you with that?" asked Chung Lam.

"I'm working on that." said Po before leaning down to snort another line. "I'll have that sorted out soon."

Chung Lam turned to look out the window. Outside was a black car, Cheng Li was sitting inside. Cheng Li nodded from the car.

"Don't worry about it." said Chung Lam as he turned to look at Po. "We'll take car of it."

"What are you talking about?" asked Po. His eyes widened as Chung Lam pulled out a pistol and aimed it at his head.

"Come on." said Po putting his hands up. "You're dating my sister, man. You wouldn't do something like this to her would you?"

"You did this to yourself." said Chung Lam before pulling the trigger. He shot Po right between the eyes. Blood and bits of brain spread out onto the wall behind him. Chung Lam lowered his gun and stared at Po's dead body for a moment before walking out of the house. He walked slowly to the car and crawled in next to Cheng Li.

"Is it done?" asked Cheng Li.

"Yes." said Chung Lam.

"It's a shame, but it had to be done." said Cheng Li. "If you didn't do it, someone else would have. He was a stupid boy."

Chung Lam was silent. Cheng Li slammed his fist on the inside of the car door.

"Why did he have to be so stupid?" asked Cheng Li choking up a little. He sniffed and wiped his nose with a handkerchief. "My daughter can never know about this."

"Of course." said Chung Lam. Chen Li put his handkerchief in his pocket before signaling for the driver to leave.

xxxxxxxx

Soon Li burst into her father's office. Her father was sitting at his desk with Chung Lam at his side. He had a bandage on his cheek from when Soon Li cut him.

"Is it done?" asked Cheng Li.

"Why?" asked Soon Li. "What did Song's family do that they deserved to die?"

Cheng Li stood up from his desk.

"Her husband caught wind of some business deals. He threatened to go to the cops unless we gave him a cut of the profit." said Cheng Li.

"Why kill his family?" asked Soon Li.

"It's all about sending a message." said Cheng Li. He walked to his daughter and placed a hand on her cheek. "My dear, sweet daughter, you knew the hardships of this business when you agreed to join me."

"That's because I thought you still had honor." said Soon Li slapping his hand away. "The man I knew was ruthless, but he would never harm a child."

"If you aren't strong enough to handle what I ask, then maybe I asked the wrong person." said Cheng Li. "You seem to be taking your time with handling The Saints."

"Don't worry about The Saints." said Soon Li. "They aren't a problem."

"I think they are. Chung Lam told me what happened the other night. How you let their leader sneak into your room? How you let him get away?" said Cheng Li. Soon Li turned to look at Chung Lam. She glared at him and clenched her jaw. Chung Lam looked at the floor avoiding her eyes.

"Get rid of them. Stop wasting time." said Cheng Li. Soon Li looked at her father with anger in her eyes before turning around to leave his office.

"Soon?" asked Cheng Li. Soon Li stopped walking but didn't turn around.

"Did you make sure everyone was dead before you left?" asked Cheng Li. Soon Li looked at the floor.

"Yes." said Soon Li before walking out. Cheng Li stared at Chung Lam before giving him a slight nod. Chung Lam stared at him for a moment before nodding back and following Soon Li out of the office. Cheng Li took a deep breath and turned to look out of his office window. He looked down at the street and saw Soon Li get on her motorcycle before speeding off down the road.


	23. Time's Up

**NOTE: I hope you enjoy this update! Let me know what you think of the battle!**

GLITCH

Chapter 23: Time's Up

The Saints gathered in the living room of their penthouse apartment. They were loading their guns in preparation for taking out Soon Li when the sound of The Boss' cell phone caught their attention. The Boss stared at the number on the caller ID. He didn't recognize it and everyone who had his number was standing in the room with him.

"Hello?" asked The Boss placing the phone.

"Your time is up." said the voice on the other end. It was Soon Li.

"How the hell did you get this number?" asked The Boss.

"I have my sources." said Soon Li. "Have you made your decision?"

"If you want that property, you're gonna have to work for it." said The Boss.

"I figured you weren't going to be smart about this." said Soon Li. "I'm sending you an address. Let's end this where it started."

The Boss checked his phone when he was alerted of a text message. He exchanged looks with his crew for a moment before placing the phone back to his ear.

"When?" asked The Boss.

"Right now." said Soon Li before hanging up. The Boss turned his attention to his crew.

"You guys ready?" asked The Boss.

"Let's do this." said Johnny cocking his pistol.

xxxxxxxxxx

They drove across town to a dilapidated old parking garage that hadn't been in service for years. Parts of the building had collapsed due to lack of maintenance and debris littered the inside.

"This is the property she wanted?" asked Shaundi looking at the building. "Why the hell don't we just sell it to her? It's a piece of shit."

"It's a matter of principle." said The Boss getting out of his car. They'd driven to the top of the parking garage. Soon Li and her Dragons were already waiting for them. Chung Lam stood beside them.

"Now that we're all here, I'm going to ask you one more time. Either you let me buy back this property, which was mine to begin with, or I have my men take your lives. Which one is it going to be?" asked Soon Li. The Boss took in her body from head to toe. He remembered kissing her and smiled at the thought. Chung Lam caught the look The Boss was giving her and clenched his fists.

Soon Li's men aimed their guns at The Saints when he wouldn't answer. The Saints put their guns up resulting in a stand off.

"I'm not selling." said The Boss walking up to her. She squinted her eyes and clenched her jaw as she watched him walk toward her. He pulled out his gun and dragged the barrel along her jaw line. Her men continued to aim their guns at The Saints.

"It's a shame that I have to kill you. I really enjoyed the other night." said The Boss still tracing her jaw with his gun.

Soon Li gave him a crooked smile and raised her eyebrows before ramming the palm of her hand into his nose. Once The Boss was knocked back she twisted around and kicked the gun out of his hand. The Boss touched his top lip. Blood was pouring from his nose. Soon Li's men began firing at The Saints forcing them to take cover behind their cars.

"Man, I liked this car." said Pierce taking cover behind The Boss' escalade. He came out of cover for a moment and took down a Dragon before ducking behind the car again.

The Boss stared at Soon Li as bullets whizzed passed his head. She glared at him with angry eyes before he ran toward her. She reached for her gun, but he used his weight to tackle her to the ground knocking it out of her hand. He straddled her waist and landed several punches to her face. Chung Lam pulled out his pistol and aimed it at The Boss. Before he had a chance to pull the trigger, Ben fired a shot at him. The bullet went through Chung Lam's thigh. Chung Lam screamed in pain and began firing in Ben's direction. Ben took cover behind Daniel's car. Daniel and Shaundi were already there providing cover fire for The Boss.

Soon Li kneed The Boss in the groin and flipped him off of her. She had several red welts on her face from where The Boss had hit her. The Boss groaned as he stood up before Soon Li kicked him in the chin causing him to bite down hard on his tongue. Blood filled his mouth and he coughed causing some of it to hit Soon Li's face. The Boss stood up again and put his hands up in front of his face.

"C'mon." said The Boss, slurring his words a little.

He motioned for her to come at him with his hand. Soon Li wiped his blood from her face before trying to land a kick to the side of his head. The Boss caught her foot and twisted her ankle until he heard a loud crack. Soon Li let out a painful scream before bringing her other leg up to wrap around his head. She sat on his shoulders and took both of her hands and slammed them into his ears. The Boss let go of her leg and placed both hands on the side of his face. The ringing in his ears was disorienting. Soon Li used her body to bring him to the ground. She backed away from him and used her motorcycle to help her get up. Her ankle was broken and she couldn't put any weight on it. Chung Lam saw The Boss on the ground and Soon Li struggling to stand. He walked over to them and aimed his pistol at The Boss. Soon Li smiled and limped over to him. The Boss put his hands up in defeat when he saw Chung Lam's pistol aimed at his head. Chung Lam smiled at him.

"As much as I'd love to kill you, I'm afraid I need you alive." said Chung Lam. He turned to aim his gun at Soon Li. "You see, I need someone to blame for the death of my beloved girlfriend."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked Soon Li surprised by his actions.

"I'm just following orders." said Chung Lam shrugging his shoulders. "Just like I was following orders when I killed your brother."

Soon Li's expression turned angry and she clenched her fists.

"You killed Po?" she asked him. "Why?"

"Ask your father." said Chung Lam before smiling at her. "Oh, that's right, you won't be able to ask him where you're going."

Chung Lam began to pull the trigger when The Boss tackled him to the ground. Chung Lam fired a shot and it hit Soon Li in her side causing her to fall back. Chung Lam kicked The Boss off of him and aimed his gun at this head.

"Fuck it, I think I'm going to kill you anyway. I'll be doing this world a debt of service." said Chung Lam. Shaundi saw him aiming at The Boss and fired a shot hitting Chung Lam in the shoulder.

Chung Lam stumbled back before he saw Soon Li stand up. She glared at him with angry eyes and, ignoring her broken ankle, ran toward him. Chung Lam fired sever shots at her before she jumped at him causing both of them to fly off the roof of the parking garage. They fell several stories until they landed on top of an old abandoned car denting in the roof. The shooting had stopped as the Dragon's, realizing their leader was gone, took off on their motorcycles. Johnny walked over to The Boss and helped him up. The Boss spit a mouthful of blood on the ground.

They walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down. They saw Soon Li's Dragons exit the parking garage and drive off down the street.

"Hey, where'd she go?" asked Matt looking at the car below them. Soon Li wasn't there. All they saw was Chung Lam's mangled body in a pool of blood laying on the roof of the car.

"Doesn't matter. I doubt we'll be seeing her again." said The Boss. "Let's go home."

They turned around and walked back to their cars, stepping over dead Dragons on the way. Shaundi stopped when she noticed one Dragon still breathing. She looked down at him when he grabbed her leg.

"Please, don't leave me." he cried spurting bits of blood. Shaundi's expression turned distressed when she noticed how young he was. He barely looked over the age of 15. She knelt down by him and he grabbed her hand. Shaundi didn't know what to do. She just looked down at him.

"Help me." he cried before his grip on her hand grew soft. He let out a gurgle of air and his hand fell to his side. Shaundi watched as the life left his young face. She felt her face grow hot and could feel a lump form in her throat. Daniel walked up and knelt down beside her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him.

"Come on you two, let's go!" yelled Asha as she got into the car. Shaundi looked back down at the boy as she stood up. She and Daniel walked back to the car. She didn't say a word as they drove home.

xxxxxxxx

Cheng Li sat in his office looking over a stack of papers. He looked up when he heard a rustling outside of his office door. The sounds grew louder until one of his guards flew through the door and landed unconscious on the office floor. Soon Li limped into the office holding her side as blood poured through her fingers.

"Soon? You're alive?" asked her father surprised to see her.

Soon Li didn't respond. She had taken Chung Lam's pistol after they landed and was now aiming it at her father's head. Cheng Li opened his mouth to say something but didn't get the chance before Soon Li pulled the trigger. She shot her father between the eyes in the same fashion that Chung Lam had shot her brother. Blood and brain matter splattered on to his office window and his body fell forward on to his desk. Soon Li stared at his dead body for a moment before turning around and limping out of his office.


	24. A Realization

**NOTE: This is a short chapter, but it sets up the next chapter pretty well. The next one is expected to be kind of long, but I bring back some of the humor. I hope you like it!**

GLITCH

Chapter 24: A Realization

Daniel knelt by the stereo in the living room of their apartment. They'd cleaned up the mess Soon Li's men had made, but the stereo was still broken.

"Daniel, is it fixed yet?" asked The Boss walking up behind him. He had a bottle of beer in his hand and took a drink.

"Almost." said Daniel as he twisted two wires together.

"I don't know why we didn't just buy a new stereo." said Pierce. He was on the couch reading a Playboy magazine.

"I like this stereo." said The Boss.

"Got it." said Daniel standing up. He plugged the stereo back in and turned it on. Hip hop music filled the room.

"All right!" yelled The Boss before taking another swig of beer.

"Hey, Andrew told us about a pub crawl that's going on tonight." said Pierce looking up from his magazine. "You up for it?"

"I-I don't know." said Daniel looking toward the kitchen. He saw Shaundi and Asha making sandwiches. "I'll have to get back with you on that."

"Whatever, man." said Pierce looking back at his magazine. He turned it sideways to look at a fold out and whistled at the woman pictured. Daniel walked toward the kitchen.

"Hi." said Daniel walking up behind Shaundi. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"Hi." said Shaundi ignoring his touch. She was trying to open a jar of mayonaise and was struggling with the lid. It was beginning to aggravate her.

"Everything okay?" asked Daniel.

"Mmmhmmm." said Shaundi. She tightened her lips together in an effort to open the jar.

"Here. Let me help." said Daniel reaching for it.

"Daniel, I can open a fucking jar of mayonaise." said Shaundi putting her hand up to keep him from grabbing it.

"Okay." said Daniel taking a step back.

Shaundi twisted the lid again and it opened un-expectedly causing her to spill mayonaise all over her clothes.

"Shit." said Shaundi. She slammed the jar down on the counter before storming out of the kitchen. Daniel scrunched his brow before following her to their bedroom.

"Shaundi?" he asked. She took off her shirt and tossed it into the hamper next to her.

"What?" asked Shaundi grabbing a clean shirt from the closet.

"You all right?" asked Daniel.

"I'm fine." said Shaundi pulling the clean shirt over her head. Daniel stared at her not believing her response to his question. Shaundi let out a breath and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." said Shaundi.

"It's okay." said Daniel walking up to her. He grabbed her hand and gently caressed it. "You've been under a lot of stress lately. We all have."

Shaund looked up at him.

"The guys were wanting to go out tonight." said Daniel. "I think it would be good for us to get out. Maybe help get our minds off of everything for awhile."

Shaundi gave him a half-smile and nodded in agreement. Daniel scrunched his brow and stared at her.

"What?" asked Shaundi. She could tell that he wanted to ask her something.

"You know what I just realized?" asked Daniel. Shaundi raised her eyebrow. "You and I have never been on a real date."

Shaundi looked off and tried to think of a time they spent together that would qualify as a "date". There was his Aunt's wedding, but nothing since then. The only time they were ever together was when they were with The Saints, or by themselves in their room. He was right. They'd never really been out, just the two of them.

"What do you say, instead of going out with the others, I make us some reservations at a nice restaurant. Nothing too fancy, and you and I have the night to ourselves? Just the two of us." said Daniel. Shaundi smiled at him.

"Okay." she said softly.

"Okay." said Daniel smiling. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before walking out of the bedroom.

Shaundi sighed and looked down at the floor. She'd lied to him when he asked if she was okay. Something was bothering her. It had been two days since they'd fought Soon Li and she couldn't get that dying boy's face out of her mind. The fear in his eyes as the life left his body had kept her up at night. She didn't know why it bothered her so much. She'd seen countless others die, but this one was different. Maybe, it was because he was so young? Or, maybe, it was because he'd begged her to help him? Shaundi shook her head and began thumbing through her closet. She couldn't think about that now. She had to find something to wear for her date with Daniel.


	25. Don't Mess With The Saints

**NOTE: I hope you like this chapter! Let me know what you think! **

GLITCH

Chapter 25: Don't Mess With the Saints

*CLINK*

"To The Saints!" yelled The Boss before tossing back a glass of beer. He and The Saints were in a pub called O'Malley's. It was the fourth stop for them on the pub crawl Andrew had invited them to.

"Wooo!" yelled Kinzie slamming her empty glass on the table. A hip hop song was beginning to play from an old jukebox and she began to move her hips to the beat. The Saints dispersed throughout the pub and Kinzie continued to dance by the table.

Across the pub, a man named Sean was admiring her from the bar. He was a scuzzy looking sort of man with a long pointed beard on his chin. He was wearing a white tank top and dirty khaki pants. He had on a pair of Doc Martens that were worn out to the point where his toes hung out of the side.

"Look at her." said Sean to the bartender. "I haven't seen a redhead that looked like that since I left Ireland."

"She is pretty." said the bartender wiping out a glass. He noticed the look Sean was giving him. "What excuse should I give your wife this time?"

"The usual." said Sean before knocking back his beer. He gave the bartender an evil smile before walking over to Kinzie.

Sean leaned his elbow on the table and smiled at Kinzie. She looked at him out of the side of her eye.

"Hi." said Sean. Kinzie turned to face him.

"Hi." said Kinzie. Sean licked his lips and looked Kinzie over.

"You're the prettiest thing I've seen in a long time." said Sean leaning closer to her. Kinzie slowly stopped dancing and took a step back.

"Thank you." said Kinzie smiling awkwardly. She didn't like the vibe Sean was giving her.

"There's a room in the back." said Sean tilting his head toward the back of the pub. "There's a mattress there. I sleep over sometimes when I drink too much. It's pretty comfortable."

Kinzie watched as Sean put a dirty finger on her arm and followed it up to her shoulder.

"It's big enough for two. Want to try it out?" asked Sean as he placed his finger on her cheek. Kinzie slapped it away.

"No thanks." said Kinzie before turning to walk away. Sean's eyes turned angry and he clenched his jaw. He walked up to Kinzie and put his arm around her throat.

"I assure you, lass. You're going to like it." said Sean as he put his greasy hand in her pants and groped between her legs.

"What part of the word _no_ do you not understand?" asked Kinzie before elbowing him in the stomach. He let go of her throat and she grabbed a glass from the table before slamming it over his head. Sean fell back, but caught himself on the table. He stood up and glared at Kinzie. She glared back at him.

"You stupid cunt." said Sean before backhanding her. A loud slap echoed throughout the pub. Pierce was in a booth across the room and looked up to see Kinzie holding her cheek with her other hand in a clenched fist at her side. Pierce left the booth and leapt over a table as he made his way to Kinzie. He got in front of Sean and pushed him back.

"What the hell is your problem man?" asked Pierce. Sean looked at him with menacing eyes.

"This doesn't concern you, boyo." said Sean. "This is between me and that fucking cunt behind you."

The bartender saw the commotion from the bar.

"Fuck." said the bartender before leaping over the bar. He walked over to them and crossed his arms.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you and your friends to leave." said the bartender.

"What? Why?" asked Kinzie pointing to Sean. "He's the one who started it."

"All I saw was your black friend here push one of my regulars." said the bartender. "So, like I said, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

A group of thugs came up behind the bartender and looked at Pierce and Kinzie. They looked like they were ready to start a fight.

"Okay." said Pierce getting the message. He turned around and started walking toward The Boss who was sitting in a booth with Ben and Johnny.

"Yeah, and don't forget to take that ginger whore with you." said Sean. Pierce stopped walking and clenched his fist. He swung around and landed a hard punch to Sean's nose...breaking it. Sean was knocked back by the blow and was caught by his friends. He felt his nose and spit a bit of blood on the floor.

"Rip their fucking heads off!" yelled Sean. His friends approached them and Pierce and Kinzie backed away.

"Uh...Boss?!" yelled Pierce. "We have a bit of a problem!"

The Boss looked up to see a group of thugs approaching Pierce and Kinzie.

"Shit." said The Boss before he, Ben, and Johnny left their table. Asha overheard the commotion and she, Andrew, and Matt went to help.

The Boss grabbed a beer bottle as he passed an empty table and slammed it over the head of one of the thugs. The thug turned around and kicked The Boss in the stomach knocking him into the jukebox causing the music to stop.

"Let's get 'em boys!" yelled The Bartender grabbing a wooden baseball bat from behind the bar. He saw Asha running to help and grabbed her. He placed the baseball bat on her throat to keep her from getting away.

"You smell nice." said the bartender sniffing her hair.

"Thank you." said Asha before flipping the bartender on his back. He dropped the baseball bat in the process and Andrew grabbed it. Asha dropkicked the bartender in the groin causing him to squeal in pain. A large thug began to approach her and Andrew jumped in front of him.

"Don't worry, Asha." said Andrew lifting the baseball bat. "I'll protect you."

Andrew slammed the baseball bat over the thug's head and it broke into tiny splinters. The thug smiled at Andrew when the hit didn't phase him. Andrew's eyes grew wide before the thug pushed him into a table like a piece of crumbled paper. The thug continued toward Asha and she landed several high kicks to his face knocking him back. She finished him off with a jump kick to his chin knocking out several of his teeth. Blood spurted from his mouth as he fell to the floor.

Sean and Kinzie were squaring off across the room. She landed a few punches to his face before he pulled out a pocket knife. He pinned her against the wall and held the knife to her face.

"I'm going to ruin that pretty face of yours." said Sean placing the edge of the knife on her cheek.

"I don't think so." said Kinzie grabbing his arms. She pulled his body close to her and head butted him. She then pulled him down and kneed him in the face. Sean fell to the floor disoriented. Kinzie began kicking him in the face with the heel of her shoe until he was unconscious. She smiled and kicked him one more time before going to help the others.

The Saints fought until every thug was moaning in pain on the floor. Several customers who had been cowering in fear during the fight ran for the door.

"That's right you fuckers." said The Boss. "You don't mess with The Saints."

"Did we win?" asked Andrew as Asha helped up from the floor.

"Yes, we won." said Asha dusting him off. "No thanks to you."

"Hey, that guy was huge." said Andrew. "You're lucky I softened him up for you."

"Sure." said Asha crossing her arms.

The Boss wiped his mouth. His lip was cut and was bleeding slightly.

"Where's the next pub?" asked The Boss.

"Only a few blocks from here." said Andrew.

"Let's go." said The Boss. He kicked a thug in the side as he made his way toward the exit. The rest followed him out.

"I wonder what Shaundi and Daniel are up to?" asked Asha as she walked out.

"Probably having a better time than we are." said Johnny. The Boss turned to looked at him.

"What are you talking about? That was fun." said The Boss smiling. He wiped his mouth again as the group made their way to the next pub.

Back at O'Malley's, the bartender was laying in pain on the floor. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number and waited until he got an answer on the other end.

"Guinness?" said the bartender. "It's Barry. We have a problem."


	26. A First Date

**NOTE: This chapter took me forever to write, but I think I finally got it how I want. Let me know what you think! Here's a link to the song I mention. Feel free to play it while you read: watch?v=YdY5XPZFSdw**

GLITCH

Chapter 26: A First Date

Daniel drove down the highway with the radio on low as a pop ballad played. Shaundi sat next to him in the passenger's seat staring out of the window. They had just finished eating dinner at a new Italian restaurant downtown and were now driving to their next destination. Shaundi didn't know where they were going.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" asked Shaundi.

"It's a surprise." said Daniel before exiting off the highway. He continued to drive until they came to a back road near the Los Angeles International Airport. Daniel stopped the car not far from the runway. Shaundi scrunched her brow as she looked out of the car window.

"Why are we at an airport?" asked Shaundi. Daniel reached in the backseat and grabbed a blanket before getting out of the car. He walked around to the passenger's side and opened the door for Shaundi. She stared at him still confused. He held out his hand for her.

"Come on." said Daniel. Shaundi slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and put her hand in his before getting out of the car.

Daniel spread the blanket on the hood of the car and climbed on top. He patted the space next to him encouraging Shaundi to join him. She reached down and took off her high heels before grabbing Daniel's hand as he helped her up. They leaned back against the windshield and looked up at the sky. Daniel gently grabbed Shaundi's hand and put his other arm behind his head. Shaundi turned to look at him.

"All right, spill." said Shaundi. "Why are we here?"

"I thought it would help you feel better." said Daniel.

"What do you mean?" asked Shaundi.

"I know something's been bothering you." said Daniel. Shaundi took her hand away from him and sat up.

"Nothing is bothering me." said Shaundi leaning back on her hands. "I'm fine."

"Shaundi." said Daniel softly. He sat up and put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off.

"Suppose something was bothering me." said Shaundi sternly. "How exactly is an airport supposed to help me feel better?"

"I used to come here when I was upset." said Daniel. "It was something my grandfather started. He was a pilot for one of the airlines here."

Shaundi looked up at him.

"I used to get bullied a lot in school. When I was 8, I had a particularly bad day and was jumped by a few kids in the hallway. I did my best to fight them off. I got a few good hits in, but there were too many. I got beat up pretty bad." said Daniel. Shaundi's expression turned soft. Daniel continued to talk.

"That night, my grandfather came over and told me he was taking me out for ice cream. He brought me here instead." said Daniel. "He told me that whenever he had a bad day he would come here and watch the planes take off. It made him feel better. He said he would close his eyes and think about everthing that was bothering him and, as the plane passed over him, he'd scream as loud as he could. He said that as the plane took off, it would take all his problems with it."

Daniel layed back and closed his eyes.

"So, I waited for a plane to take off. I closed my eyes and thought of the kids who jumped me. I felt the plane pass over me and screamed as loud as I could." said Daniel.

"Did it work?" asked Shaundi. Daniel opened his eyes and sat up. He saw a plane coming down the runway toward them.

"Try it and see." said Daniel tilting his head toward the plane. Shaundi watched the plane for a moment before looking at Daniel.

"I'll do it with you." he said laying back against the windshield.

Shaundi layed back and looked at him. He grabbed her hand and closed his eyes. Shaundi looked up and closed her eyes as well. It sounded childish to her, but if Daniel was willing to it, she was too. She heard the plane come closer and thought of the young teenager who died in her arms after their fight with Soon Li. She pictured his face vividly in her mind as she felt the plane fly over her. Shaundi screamed loudly and tightened her grip on Daniel's hand. Daniel screamed with her. The sound of the plane masked their screams and the wind from the engines blew the corners of the blanket around them. Shaundi could feel herself running out of air, but kept screaming until the plane passed over.

Daniel turned to looked at Shaundi as the plane flew off. Her eyes were still closed and she was breathing heavily.

"Wow." she said out of breath.

"Feel better?" asked Daniel. Shaundi opened her eyes and looked at him before a bright light flashed over them.

"Hey, what are you two doing?!" asked an aiport security guard. He was shining a flashlight in their direction. "How'd you get in here?!"

Daniel shot up and jumped off the car. He help Shaundi get off and grabbed the blanket.

"Time to go." he said before jumping into the driver's seat.

"Hey!" yelled the security guard. "You're not supposed to be here!"

Shaundi quickly grabbed her shoes before jumping into the car. Daniel started the car and sped off. The tires smoked a little as he took off down the road.

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Daniel opened the door to their apartment and they walked through. Once they were inside, Shaundi grabbed Daniel by his shirt and pulled him toward her. She gently kissed his lips before looking into his eyes.

"Thank you." said Shaundi softly.

"You're welcome." said Daniel giving her a gentle smile. Shaundi let go of his shirt before walking toward their bedroom. She looked over her shoulder as she walked.

"You coming?" asked Shaundi giving him a sexy smile.

"I'll be right there." said Daniel.

"Don't take too long. It might be over by the time you get there." said Shaundi as she walked down the hallway. Daniel smiled and looked at the stereo.

Shaundi walked into the bedroom and smiled. She bit her lip anxious for Daniel to join her. She reached back to unzip her dress when the sound of music caught her attention.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi as she stepped out into the hallway.

She slowly walked toward the living room and over to the stereo. Daniel had plugged his phone into the audio jack and was playing a song from it. Shaundi leaned down and read the song title: Kiss from a Rose by Seal. Shaundi stood up and felt gentle hands wrap around her waist.

"I know how much you love dancing." said Daniel leaning close to her ear.

He began to sway to the beat and Shaundi leaned into his embrace. She brought her hand up behind her and ran her fingers through his hair as she moved with him. Their movements became more intense as the song picked up. Daniel ran his hands along her stomach and pulled her closer to him. She felt him run his hand down her thigh and up her dress for a moment before turning her around to look at him. He looked into her eyes and pulled her close until her breasts were pressed against his chest. They continued to sway as Daniel ran his hand up Shaundi's arm. He could feel his heart beating hard and fast as he ran his other hand down her back. Shaundi's heart was beating fast as well. Daniel lifted her leg up to his waist and she leaned back. His other arm supported her until she came back up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She ran her hand through his hair and looked at him through sensual eyes. Their lips were inches apart and Shaundi could feel her body tingling with arousal. She ran her hand down his neck and under the collar of his shirt before he dipped her again. He leaned close to her breasts and ran his hand down the length of her body before she came up. She wrapped her leg around him as he lifted her up. She leaned her head back when she felt his warm breath on her chest. His lips caressed her chest and neck as he brought her back down. She lightly kissed his forehead before her feet touched the floor. Both were full of lust for each other as they entwined themselves together continuing to sway to the beat. As the song neared its end, they slowed their pace. They locked eyes and Shaundi leaned in close to kiss him. Daniel completed the kiss causing Shaundi to let out a short, soft moan. Her eyes fluttered a bit before closing completely and she grasped onto him as if she never wanted to let him go. It was the most passionate kiss they had ever shared.

They broke away after the music stopped and Daniel let out a breath.

"I love you." said Daniel softly. Shaundi's eyes shot open and she looked up at him. The words took her by surprise. She knew Daniel cared deeply for her, and she for him, but she never expected to hear those words. No one had ever said them to her before. Shaundi stood quietly in his embrace as he looked at her. She opened her mouth to speak when the door to the apartment opened.

The Saints poured in, beaten and broken from their fight at O'Malley's. Daniel and Shaundi pulled away from each other.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" asked Shaundi noticing their injuries.

"We just had to beat a couple of thugs down to size. No big deal." said The Boss.

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Back at O'Malley's, those "thugs" were awaiting the arrival of Guinness O'Leary, the brother of Sean. Guinness stepped through the pub doors. He had a tall orange mohawk with an orange chin beard. He was wearing a white tank top with khaki shorts and suspenders hanging from his hips. He had on a pair of black boots with knee-high socks that had two green stripes at the top. A clover key chain hung from a belt loop on his shorts. Guinness looked around at the damage to his pub.

"What the fuck happened?" asked Guinness. Everyone looked at Sean. He was holding a bag of ice to his nose.

"It was that fucking cunt's fault." said Sean. Guinness walked over to him and grabbed him by the shirt.

"Are you telling me a woman did this to my pub?!" yelled Guinness.

"It was her friends, but she had a pretty big hand in it too." said Barry, the bartender of the pub.

"Well, do any of you shites know who they are?" asked Guinness pushing his brother back.

"They called themselves The Saints." said Barry. Guinness quickly turned his head to Barry.

"What was that name again?" asked Guinness.

"The Saints." said Barry. "Why?"

"Why? I'll tell you why." said Guinness. "I received a phone call from a British fuck who was willing to pay me a large some of money to get rid of The Saints. He said something about how his other investment bailed on him or some shit. I didn't think much of it at the time, but seeing as how my PUB IS FUCKING TRASHED! It seems like an offer I can't refuse."

"One problem. How the hell are we going to find them?" asked Barry. Guinness smiled malevolently.

"Let me worry about that." said Guinness. "Round everyone up. It's time to kill some people."


	27. Take it Away, Annie Lennox

**NOTE: Inspiration for this chapter was the song ****_Why_**** by Annie Lennox. Let me know what you think! **

GLITCH

Chapter 27: Take it Away, Annie Lennox

It was almost midnight and the penthouse apartment was almost completely quiet. The only sounds echoing throughout were the sounds of heavy breathing coming from Daniel and Shaundi's room. Inside their room, they were entwined in the sheets as they made love to each other. Daniel used the footboard of the bed for leverage as he pumped his hips against Shaundi's. She moaned against his lips as she kissed him. Her fingers gently clawed at his back as he moved in and out of her.

"Don't stop." said Shaundi pulling away from his lips. He placed his head in the crook of her neck and increased his speed. She placed her hand on his head and her other hand on his back as he continued to move his hips. He could hear her moans in his ear as she tightened around him. He continued his pace until he climaxed and let his body relax on top of her.

Daniel kissed her neck before sitting up to look at her. They were still attached as they locked eyes. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I love you." said Daniel. Shaundi stared at him. He stared back at her.

"I..." said Shaundi. She couldn't bring herself to say the rest of the words. Daniel looked at her with a confused look in his eyes. Shaundi couldn't take his stare and looked off. He scrunched his brow before pulling out of her to sit on the edge of the bed. Shaundi sat up and stared at his back. He got up and walked into the bathroom before shutting the door leaving Shaundi alone in bed.

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The next morning, Shaundi stumbled into the kitchen and wiped her eyes. Asha and Kinzie were there making themselves breakfast.

"Good morning." said Asha. "Sleep well?"

"No." said Shaundi putting her face in her hands.

"I'll bet after all that commotion we heard in your room last night." said Asha with a smirk.

"Oh, Daniel!" mimicked Kinzie. "Don't stop, oh, oh, OH!"

Her and Asha started laughing. Shaundi stared at them as they laughed. She smiled, slightly embarrassed, before she saw Daniel enter the room. She looked at him and her smile disappeared. Asha noticed her expression and stopped laughing. She turned around and noticed Daniel staring at them. She nudged Kinzie's arm hinting for her to stop.

"Morning." said Daniel quietly. He glanced at Shaundi as he opened the fridge.

"Morning." said Kinzie after she cleared her throat. "So, how was your date last night?"

Daniel grabbed a carton of orange juice and opened the cabinet to grab a glass. He didn't answer her. Shaundi crossed her arms on the counter and looked down. Asha and Kinzie looked at each other noticing their actions.

"Is everything okay?" asked Asha. Daniel put his glass full of orange juice on the counter and sighed.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." said Daniel. He glanced at Shaundi again before leaving the room. She locked eyes with him for a moment before he left.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Kinzie. Shaundi shook her head and waved the question away with her hand. She got up and walked out of the room. Asha and Kinzie looked at each other after she left.

"Trouble in paradise?" asked Asha. Kinzie shrugged and poured herself a glass of milk.

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Shaundi walked into the bedroom to see Daniel getting undressed. He looked at her and paused for a moment before removing his shirt.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi. He tossed his clothes in the hamper and grabbed a clean pair of underwear from the dresser.

"We need to talk." said Shaundi. Daniel ignored her and slipped on his underwear.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi trying to get his attention. He grabbed a pair of jeans from the closet and put them on before turning to look at her.

"What is this?" he asked motioning to himself and her. "What are we doing?"

"What do you mean?" asked Shaundi.

"Am I just a good friend whom you happen to have sex with?" asked Daniel. "Because if that's what this is...I don't know if I want to continue."

Shaundi scrunched her brow and looked at him.

"I know you're upset about last night, but if you'll just let me explain why-"

"Why what? Why you don't feel the same way about me as I do about you?" asked Daniel.

"I didn't say that." said Shaundi interjecting.

"You didn't say anything!" said Daniel.

"What do you want me to say?!" asked Shaundi.

"I want you tell me what you're feeling!" yelled Daniel. He placed his hands hard against his chest as he spoke. His body grew red with emotion. "Why can't you do that?! Why do you always shut me out?!"

"I don't know!" yelled Shaundi. She turned away from him and put her hand on her forehead.

Daniel walked over to her and turned her to face him. He placed his hands her arms and looked into her eyes.

"I love you." said Daniel. "I love you so much, it hurts to breath."

He grew misty eyed as he looked at her. Shaundi turned away from him not able to take his stare. He backed away from her.

"Why can't you just tell me what you're feeling?" asked Daniel.

"Because I don't know what I'm feeling!" yelled Shaundi. "Shit, Daniel! You know my dating history! You played the damn game! You should know why something like this would be hard for me!"

Daniel looked at her.

"You're afraid." said Daniel. "You're afraid to admit that you love me."

Shaundi turned away from him again.

"Why?!" asked Daniel. "Why are you so afraid to say that you love me?!"

"Because I don't know what those words mean!" yelled Shaundi holding back tears. "Why do you need to hear them so badly?!"

"I don't know." said Daniel. "Maybe you should figure that out on your own."

Daniel grabbed a shirt and left the room.

"Where are you going?" asked Shaundi following him out.

"Out." said Daniel walking into the living room. He grabbed his keys and opened the door.

"When are you coming back?" asked Shaundi feeling a lump form in her throat.

"I don't know." said Daniel before slamming the door behind him. The Boss, Pierce, and Kinzie were in the living room. They stared at Shaundi as she let out a frustrated scream. She turned to look at them.

"What?" asked Shaundi. They quickly looked away from her. She walked down the hallway and into the bedroom slamming the door behind her.

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Outside the apartment building, Guinness' thugs, The Gaelic Sons, were keeping a look out for The Saints. They saw Daniel exit the building and walk to his car parked on the street.

"Hey, lemme see that picture Guinness gave us." said Barry. A thug handed him a picture and he looked it over.

"Gotcha." said Barry. He picked up his cell phone and called Guinness.

"Guinness? We found their friend. He's getting in his car. What do you want us to do?" asked Barry.

"Follow him, see where he goes." said Guinness on the other end.

"No problem." said Barry. He hung up the phone and started his car. Daniel took off down the street and Barry followed him.


	28. Just Words

**NOTE: Don't know what you'll think of this chapter, so be sure to leave a review letting me know!**

GLITCH

Chapter 28: Just Words

"Here you go!" said a waitress as she put down a piece of apple pie in front of Daniel. He put a candle in it and lit the wick before pushing it across the table.

"Happy Birthday, Dad." said Daniel smiling. He had taken his father to a diner for a birthday breakfast. It was something they did every year and each time they ended the meal with a slice of apple pie.

"I've been looking forward to this for a year." said his father rubbing his hands together. "You know, you're mother doesn't let me eat this stuff at home."

"Still on that health kick huh?" asked Daniel.

"One bad doctor's visit and she loses her mind." said his father. "Don't tell her I said that."

Daniel smiled and motioned for his dad to blow out the candle. His father blew it out and grabbed a fork. He peered up at Daniel and noticed his smile had disappeared. Daniel was sitting there staring at the table.

"Son? Is everything okay?" asked his father. Daniel looked up.

"Yeah." said Daniel. His father put down his fork and stared at him.

"Is everything okay between you and Shaundi?" asked his father. He put his hands together and placed them on the table. "You two have been getting pretty serious."

Daniel sat quietly for a moment and picked at his finger nails.

"Dad?" asked Daniel. "Who was the first to say 'I love you' when you and mom were dating?"

"I was." said his father.

"Did she say it back?" asked Daniel.

"Yep." said his father looking down at his piece of pie for a moment. He looked back up at Daniel. "Why? Did you tell Shaundi you loved her?"

Daniel brought his hand up to his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Did she not say it back?" asked his father. Daniel sighed.

"She said she doesn't know what the words mean." said Daniel putting his hand on the table.

"That's because that's all they are." said his father. "Just words."

Daniel scrunched his brow and stared at his father.

"Son, you can say 'I love you' all damn day." said his father. "But in the end, it's your actions that matter. Did you ever stop to think that maybe she's said 'I love you' in other ways?"

Daniel continued to stare at his father as he spoke.

"You can say 'I love you' with a look...a touch...a smile. I'll bet, if you think hard enough, she's told you she loves you plenty of times." said his father.

Daniel sighed and put his hands in his lap.

"It would still be nice to hear." said Daniel.

"I know, son." said his father.

His father picked up a fork sitting in front of Daniel.

"Here, you're eating this with me." said his father handing him the fork. Daniel took it from him and smiled. They clinked their forks together and dug into the slice of pie.

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Guinness O'Leary, leader of the Gaelic Sons, sat in an office located in an old abandoned building on the outskirts of town. The building from the inside looked refurbished, but the outside looked dilapidated and run down. Guinness raised his wrist to look at his watch. It was an old watch and the band was barely intact.

"Fuck this." said Guinness. "I don't need this shite."

Guinness got up and walked to the office door when a tall, pale man wearing a black suit and red tie entered the room.

"Going so soon?" asked The Man. He had a thick British accent.

"I've been waiting for you for half an hour." said Guinness. "Normally, I kill people who keep me waiting."

"Lucky for me I'm paying you." said The Man smiling at him. He walked past Guinness and over to his desk.

"Speaking of pay, when exactly do I get the money?" asked Guinness.

"When you get rid of The Saints." said The Man. "I trust the information I gave you was helpful?"

"Yes, I have my men following one of them right now." said Guinness. He watched as the man opened a box of cigars. He bit the end off of one and lit it.

"Help yourself to a cigar." said The Man gesturing to the cigars. Guinness helped himself to a handful. The man pulled out a pistol and aimed it at him. "Did I say a _handful _of cigars?"

"Sorry." said Guinness putting a few back. He bit the end off of his cigar and lit it. He inhaled a long puff of smoke and blew it out of his nose.

"Nice, eh?" asked the man. Guinness smiled and sat down in a chair.

"What exactly did The Saints do to you that you'd want them dead?" asked Guinness.

"They didn't do anything to me." said The Man. "I was approached by a...stranger who needed my help in getting rid of them. I'm a charitable man, it's in my nature. So, how exactly do you plan on getting rid of them?"

"Don't worry, I've got something very special planned for those assholes." said Guinness. He put his cigar in his mouth and smiled before leaning back in his chair.

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Across town, Barry and a fellow Gaelic son named Hugh were following Daniel's car down the street.

"Why are we even doing this?" asked Hugh. "This guy wasn't even at the pub that day."

"Yeah, but he's still one of them." said Barry. His phone began to ring and he answered it.

"Hello?" asked Barry. It was Guinness.

"Where is he now?" asked Guinness. They saw Daniel's car pull in front of a flower shop. He parked his car and went inside.

"He's buying flowers." said Barry. "I wonder who the lucky lady is?"

"Probably his mother." said Hugh watching Daniel through the car window. He saw him inside the store picking out a bouquet of purple and white daisies.

"Are you in your truck?" asked Guinness.

"What else would I be driving?" asked Barry.

"Did you put that new brush guard on the front?" asked Guinness.

"Yes." said Barry smiling.

"You know what I want you to do?" asked Guinness.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it." said Barry. He hung up the phone and smiled at Hugh.

"What did he say?" asked Hugh.

"Looks like loverboy is about to have a little accident." said Barry with an evil smile. Hugh smiled back and turned to see Daniel get back in his car with a bouquet of flowers.

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Daniel drove down the street heading back to the apartment. He came to a stoplight and looked in the passenger's seat at the flowers he'd just bought. He stared at them until the car behind him honked its horn signaling that the light had turned green. Daniel pushed on the gas and resumed driving.

"There he is." said Barry on a street that was perpendicular to the one Daniel was on. He smiled and pushed hard on the gas pedal. His truck made a loud roar as he sped down the street narrowly missing several cars.

"Hold on." said Barry before his truck collided with Daniel's car sending it spinning down the road. It flipped three times until landing upside down on the street. Bits of glass and metal littered the road. Daniel's car was completely torn apart. The back half of the car was almost ripped off, barely hanging on by a small piece of metal. A bystander saw the accident and ran to help. He knelt down by the car and reached in to check on Daniel.

"Somebody call 911!" he yelled before pulling Daniel's limp body out of the car. He layed Daniel down on the street and tried to wake him up.

"Hey, buddy." he asked gently slapping Daniel's face. "C'mon, man. Wake up."

It wasn't long before the sound of sirens echoed down the street as cop cars and an ambulance arrived at the scene.


	29. Shaundi's Work

**NOTE: I hope I did a good job showing how Shaundi was feeling. The chapter was inspired by a song by Kate Bush titled This Woman's Work. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 29: Shaundi's Work

"He's losing too much blood!" screamed a paramedic as she put pressure on Daniel's leg. He had a large laceration on his thigh from a piece of metal ripped off his car from the accident. The man who had pulled Daniel from the car pulled the metal scrap out of his leg causing more blood to pour from the wound.

"Keep pressure on the wound!" yelled a paramedic.

Daniel lay limp in the street as the paramedics scrambled to stop the bleeding on his leg. He drifted in and out of consciousness as they worked on him

"Daniel? Is that your name?" asked a paramedic trying to keep him calm. The faster his heart beat the more chance he had of bleeding out faster.

Daniel nodded and lifted his arm to point toward his car. He could barely get his arm an inch off of the ground.

"Daniel, we're doing everything we can to help you, but you need to stay calm okay? We're gonna get you out of here as soon as we can." she told him.

Daniel's vision began to blur and he could feel himself drifting off. He was so tired.

"Daniel!" yelled the paramedic. "Daniel stay with us!"

He opened his eyes and tried to keep awake.

"Flowers." mumbled Daniel. He pointed his finger toward his car. He could see the bouquet of flowers he bought lying among the wreckage. The paramedic didn't hear him.

They placed him on a gurney and started wheeling him toward the ambulance. Daniel saw the flowers get smaller the farther they wheeled him away. The next thing he saw were the bright lights from inside the ambulance. The faces of the paramedics looked down on him. He heard the sirens of the ambulance and felt the car start moving. His vision began to blur again and he could feel his body grow light.

"I'm sorry, Shaundi." said Daniel softly before darkness took over his vision.

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Across town at the apartment, Shaundi was sitting in her bedroom. She sat on the bed and brought her knees up to her chest. She stared at her phone with her thumb over the screen and had Daniel's number up, ready to call him. It had been hours since he left and she hadn't heard from him. She bit her thumbnail as she stared at her phone. She sighed before pushing the number and bringing the phone to her ear.

It began to ring and Shaundi tapped her foot on the bed waiting for him to answer. She could feel her chest grow tighter with each ring fearing that he wouldn't answer.

"_Hey, this is Daniel. I can't come to the phone right now. Leave a message and I'll call ya back." _

Shaundi hung up the phone and tossed it front of her. She crossed her arms and bit her thumbnail again when she heard a knock on the door.

"Shaundi?" asked the voice on the other side. It was Asha. "We're going out for dinner. You want to come?"

"No." said Shaundi.

"You haven't come out of your room all day. Are you sure you're not hungry? We could bring something back for you." said Asha.

"I'm fine." said Shaundi. "You guys go ahead."

"Okay." said Asha. Shaundi heard her walk away and placed her arms around her legs. She put her head down and tried to fight the lump forming in her throat.

Her phone began to vibrate and she looked up. She quickly grabbed it and looked at the caller ID. It was Daniel.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi. Her voiced cracked slightly as she spoke.

"Shaundi? This is Arthur, Daniel's father. We've met before." said Arthur.

"Is Daniel with you?" asked Shaundi.

"He's been in an accident. He's in the hospital." said Arthur.

Shaundi felt her heart sink deep in her chest.

"What?" asked Shaundi in disbelief.

"He was involved in a hit and run." said Arthur. "His mother and I just arrived at the hospital when you called his phone."

"What hospital?" asked Shaundi.

"Cedars-Sinai Medical Center." said Arthur. Shaundi hung up the phone and ran over to her closet. She grabbed a pair of jeans and slipped them on. She kept her tank top on and ran out of the room.

"Hey, Shaundi. Did you change your mind?" asked Asha when she saw Shaundi running down the hallway. Shaundi didn't answer her. She didn't even hear her question. Shaundi rushed for the front door and opened it without acknowledging her friends and ran out.

"Where the hell is she going in such a hurry?" asked Pierce.

Shaundi ran to the elevator and stood anxiously waiting for the doors to open. When it reached her floor, an old lady stepped out of the elevator. Shaundi tapped her foot waiting for the woman to leave and rushed inside to push the button for the lobby. The elevator stopped on the way down and a family of four stepped onto the elevator. A husband, wife, and two little boys crowded inside the elevator around Shaundi. The husband held his wife's hand as he held they youngest of the two boys in his other arm.

"Daddy? Can we get ice cream?" asked the oldest boy.

"Ask your mother." said the husband smiling at his wife.

"Mommy?" asked the boy.

"I don't care." said the wife smiling.

"Yay!" screamed the little boy.

Shaundi stood behind them and crossed her arms. She brought her hand up to her mouth and started biting her thumbnail again. The elevator wasn't going fast enough. The elevator stopped again to let on a man with a large dog. Shaundi saw they were on the 8th floor and pushed through everyone to leave. She ran for the stairwell and rushed down the stairs until she reached the lobby.

She ran outside and to the edge of the street and waved her arm to hail a taxi. One stopped to pick her up and she jumped into the backseat.

"Where to?" asked the driver.

"Cedars-Sinai Medical Center." said Shaundi. She leaned back in her seat and tapped her foot on the floor as they made their way down the street.

xxxxxxxxx

The taxi pulled up in front of the hospital and Shaundi shot out of the car before it even stopped moving. She rushed inside and over to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" asked the receptionist.

"What room is Daniel Petersen in?" asked Shaundi. The receptionist searched on the computer and told her the room.

Shaundi rushed for the elevators and rode it up to Daniel's floor. She stepped out of the elevator and looked around. She saw Arthur standing in the hallway with his wife, Marie, and Daniel's brother Lewis. They were talking to a doctor. She ran over to them.

"Where is he? Is he okay?" asked Shaundi out of breath. Arthur could see the worry in her face.

"He's fine." said the doctor. "He lost a lot of blood, but we were able to stop the bleeding. Aside from the laceration on his leg and a few broken ribs he's going to be okay."

Shaundi let out a breath and looked down at the floor.

"He's really lucky." said the doctor. "Not many people survive an accident that severe, let alone with as little injury as he endured. If he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt, I don't know what would have happened."

"Thank you, doctor." said Marie. The doctor nodded.

"Once they finished getting him situated, you'll be able to see him." said the doctor.

They waited until Daniel was situated in his room and went in to see him. Marie put her hand to her mouth at the sight of him.

"Oh, Arthur." she said putting her head on his shoulder.

"The doctor said he's going to be fine." said Arthur putting his arms around her. Lewis stood by his parents and stared at Daniel. He began to get misty eyed and walked out of the room. Shaundi watched him leave before stepping inside. There were two beds in the room divided by a curtain. Daniel's bed was on the far end on the other side. She could see his shadow on the bed through the fabric.

She slowly walked toward him and past the curtain. Her eyes grew wide when she saw him. His face was severely bruised with several small scrapes along his forehead. His lip was busted and he had a bandage on his cheek covering a cut. His arm was wrapped up in a bandage as was his leg. He lay there quietly as the sound of his heart monitor filled the room with staccato beeps. He looked helpless.

Shaundi stood and stared at him and could feel her face grow hot. She felt tears well up in her eyes but kept her composure. Marie started crying and Arthur led her out of the room leaving Shaundi alone with Daniel. She stood at the foot of his bed and looked down at him.

"Daniel?" she asked. She put her hand on his foot poking out of the covers and gently rubbed it. He didn't stir.

She walked over to the chair next to his bed and sat down. His hand lay by his side and she placed her hand on top of it. She gently grasped his hand and looked up at him.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel." choked Shaundi. She couldn't hold back her tears as they began falling down her face. She held his hand tightly as she finally let herself go.

xxxxxxxxx

It was around midnight and Daniel opened his eyes. He groaned slightly and looked around before noticing his hand. Shaundi was still holding it. He looked over to see her asleep in the chair next to him.

"Shaundi?" asked Daniel. Shaundi opened her eyes at the sound of his voice.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi. She leaned closer to him. "How are you feeling?"

"My leg hurts." he told her. He tried to sit up and gripped Shaundi's hand at the pain he felt. Shaundi stood up and helped place his pillow behind him to prop him up. She sat down in the chair and clasp her hands together before looking up at him. Daniel could see tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hey." he said softly as he lifted his hand to her cheek. She leaned into his touch. "Don't cry. Everything is going to be okay."

"I thought I was going to lose you." said Shaundi. "I was so scared."

"You didn't lose me." said Daniel caressing her cheek with his thumb. "I'm right here."

He watched her close her eyes and put her hand on top of his as he caressed her cheek. He watched as tears streamed down her face. It was the first time he'd ever seen her so emotional. He'd never seen her let herself go like that before.

"Come here." said Daniel scooting over in bed. He winced a little at the pain he felt. Shaundi stood up and gently crawled in next to him. She gently placed her head on his chest and he placed his hand on her shoulder. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his heartbeat. The beeps of the monitors began to drown out as his heartbeat became the only thing she could hear before she slowly drifted off to sleep.


	30. Precious Time

**NOTE: Let me know what you think of this chapter! Things are going to start coming full circle, but we still have a long way to go until the end!**

GLITCH

Chapter 30: Precious Time

Shaundi awoke to the sunlight shining through the hospital window. She squinted and put her hand in front her face to let her eyes adjust to the light. She looked up to see Daniel sleeping soundly. She had fallen asleep in his arms. She gently placed her hand on his cheek as he slept and placed a soft kiss on his lips before slowly getting up. She walked around the bed to the window and stretched her arms up over her head. The fabric of her tank top lifted showing a small part of her smooth stomach as she stretched. Daniel opened one eye and peeked over at her. He admired her for a moment, taking her in as the warm sunlight illuminated her form.

"Jesus." said Daniel. "Whoever put you together, certainly knew what they were doing."

Shaundi looked over at him and smiled.

"Good morning." she said walking to the side of his bed. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty well considering." said Daniel. "My leg is killing me though."

"Want me to get the nurse? Maybe she could give you something to help?" asked Shaundi stepping toward the door. Daniel put his hand up to stop her.

"I have a better idea." said Daniel smiling at her. He held out his hand and motioned for her to join him on the bed. She sat down beside him and leaned down to his lips. Daniel placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her close until their mouths met. Shaundi leaned into the kiss and opened her mouth to let him inside. She brought her hand up to his cheek and gripped his face as they massaged each other's tongues. Daniel's heart rate increased causing his monitor to beep faster. They were so involved with the kiss that they didn't hear Daniel's parents come into the room.

"Ehem." said Arthur clearing his throat.

Shaundi quickly pulled away from Daniel and stood up. She wiped the side of her mouth and smiled, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, someone's feeling better." said Arthur looking down at Daniel. "You don't waste any time do you, son?"

"Hello, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" asked his mother Marie.

"I'm fine, Ma." said Daniel.

"I'll bet you are." said Arthur smiling as he glanced over at Shaundi. She smiled and looked over at Daniel. He smiled back at her and sat up in bed.

"The doctor told us some good news." said Marie. "He says there's a chance you'll be able to go home today."

"That was fast." said Daniel.

"He needs to check on you and make sure everything is in order, but he said he doesn't see any problem with letting you leave." said Marie. "Just as long as you get a plenty of rest and stay off of your leg for a few days."

"The faster the better." said Daniel. "I hate hospitals."

"I have your old room all ready." said Marie. "You can stay as long as you need until you get back on your feet."

Daniel smiled and looked up at Shaundi. She smiled back as he gently grabbed her hand.

"I appreciate it, Ma." said Daniel. "But I think I'll be okay."

Marie stared at Shaundi with a hint of disdain.

"Whatever you think is best." said Marie looking at Shaundi through tight eyes. "I'm just a phone call away if you need me."

"Thanks, ma." said Daniel. Shaundi's phone began to vibrate in her pocket and she pulled her hand away from him to answer it. She saw that it was Asha on the caller ID.

"Shit." said Shaundi. "I forgot to let everyone know where we are. I'll be right back and I'll see if I can get the nurse to give you something for your leg."

Shaundi leaned down and gave Daniel a small kiss before walking out of the room. He stared at her as she walked away and smiled.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, son." said Arthur smiling. Daniel looked at him.

"What do you mean?" asked Daniel.

"That woman loves you." said Arthur. "There's no question about it."

xxxxxxxxx

Across town, Barry and Hugh were meeting up with Guinness at the old building belonging to the British stranger, The Man, who had hired them. Guinness sat in a chair smoking a cigar when he heard his men walk into the room.

"Well?" asked Guinness standing up.

"He survived." said Barry. Guinness glared at him.

"You were supposed to hit him hard enough to the kill the bastard." said Guinness.

"I did." said Barry. "I don't know how he survived."

"You should have seen his car." said Hugh. Guinness clenched his jaw and put his cigar out in Barry's arm. Barry screamed and clutched his arm.

"You two disappoint me." said Guinness turning to The Man. The Man stood up from his desk.

"I take it that your men were unable to handle it." said The Man.

"Don't worry." said Guinness glaring at his men. "I'll take care of them myself."

"When?" asked The Man leaning his hands on his desk. "Whenever you bloody hell feel like it? I don't think you understand the urgency of what I'm asking you to do."

"I said I'll take care of it." said Guinness. The Man grabbed a lamp sitting on his desk and threw it at the wall shattering it.

"Do it quick! Stop fucking around!" yelled The Man. His breathing became erratic and he leaned against his desk struggling to breath.

"Get out." said The Man. Guinness stared at him in confusion. "I said get the hell out of here!"

The Man grabbed his pistol and aimed it at Guinness and his men.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Hugh. The Man shot his pistol in the air.

"Get the fuck out of my office and take care of The Saints!" screamed the man. Guinness and his men backed out of his office and The Man began gasping for air. He pushed a button on his telecom.

"Vi?...get in here." he said through small breaths. A woman with long black hair wearing a grey skirt with a white button up shirt rushed into the office. She helped him over to his chair as he started coughing. Blood spurted into his hand as he coughed.

"You're getting worse." said Vi grabbing a handkerchief. She began to wipe his mouth as he tried to calm his breathing.

"I'm *gasp* fine." said The Man. Vi looked over at his ash tray and saw a freshly smoked cigar. She picked it up and held it in front of him.

"You know the doctor told you to stop smoking." she said.

"He also told me I'm dying." said The Man finally calming down. "If I'm going to die, I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want."

"You're not going to die." said Vi putting her hand under his chin. "But you're not helping yourself by smoking these things."

The Man reached for a glass on his desk full of scotch. Vi took it from him.

"You should probably lay off the drinking, too." she told him. The Man leaned back in his chair and looked at her.

"You're right." said The Man. He smiled at her and she ran her hand through his hair before giving him a kiss on the forehead. She smiled at him before leaving the room. The Man waited until she was out of view before opening his desk drawer to grab another glass and a bottle of scotch. He began pouring himself a glass when a culmination of red circles filled his office. A large shadow poured over him.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that." said The Man looking at the dark form in his office.

"It's how I get around."

The shadow walked forward until the light illuminated it revealing large burn scars on its body. It was Zinyak. His dark eyes stared down at The Man.

"How are things progressing?" asked Zinyak.

"Well." said The Man. He felt a cough coming on and grabbed his handkerchief. He began coughing uncontrollably into it. He pulled the handkerchief away and it was covered in blood.

"I hope so." said Zinyak. "For your sake."

"What about your end of the bargain?" asked The Man putting the bloody handkerchief in his pocket.

"Keep your promise to me and I'll make sure you get what you want." said Zinyak. The Man started coughing again. "If I were you, I'd hurry up. You don't seem to have much time."

"I'm *cough* fine." said The Man. Zinyak smiled and disappeared in a whirlwind of red circles. The Man pulled out his handkerchief again and coughed into it. More blood filled the cloth. The Man pushed the call button on his telecom again.

"Vi?" he asked staring at his bloody handkerchief. "We need to speed things up. Get me the number for Lestat."


	31. Tied and Bound

**NOTE: This is a long chapter, but I hope you like it!**

GLITCH

Chapter 31: Tied and Bound

Shaundi walked into Daniel's hospital room. She had just returned from their apartment with a change of clothes for him. The doctor had cleared him for release and he was itching to get home. He was sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her.

"I hope these are okay." said Shaundi handing him a pair of grey sweatpants, a black zip up hoodie, and a pair of boxers.

"These are fine." said Daniel. He untied his hospital gown and pulled it off of him. He flinched as he put his arms in the hoodie. He had three broken ribs and it hurt to breath, let alone lift his arms.

Shaundi grabbed his boxer shorts and helped him slip his legs in. She knelt down by his feet as she slipped them on. His crotch was right in her face and she couldn't help but smile. She raised her right eyebrow and looked up at him.

"You know, we don't have to leave right away." said Daniel giving her a cheeky smile. "I wouldn't mind staying a little longer. We have the room to ourselves."

"The doctor said no strenuous activity for a while." said Shaundi pulling his boxers up to his thigh. She helped him stand up and he leaned on her as she pulled them up to his hips.

"Think you can hold out?" asked Daniel sitting back down on the bed. Shaundi smiled as she grabbed his pants.

"It's gonna to be hard." said Shaundi smiling.

"You got that right." said Daniel as he stood up again. Shaundi laughed as he leaned on her to pull up his pants. "Especially since you have to give me my sponge baths."

"Oooo." said Shaundi raising her brow. She smiled before giving him a small kiss on the lips. She pulled away from him as the nurse brought in a wheelchair.

"Oh, you're already dressed." said the nurse.

"I'm ready to get the hell out of here." said Daniel.

"Well, your chariot awaits." said the nurse smiling as she put the wheelchair beside his bed. "Now, the other nurse already gave you the instructions for your treatment correct?"

"Yep." said Daniel as Shaundi helped into the wheelchair. "Any chance I could get another dose of pain meds before I leave?"

"You just took your first dose for today." said the nurse. "Give it a few minutes to kick in."

Shaundi held onto Daniel as he sat down and helped him get his leg situated. He winced and grit his teeth as she helped him lift it up.

"Are you okay?" asked Shaundi worried that she'd hurt him.

"I'm fine." said Daniel placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair as she walked around to the back of the wheelchair. Daniel reached beside him and grabbed a pair of crutches. He looked up at Shaundi and smiled as she wheeled him out of the room and down the hallway.

She wheeled him outside to see a taxi waiting for them. She opened the door to the backseat and helped Daniel stand up. He put his arm around her and stumbled back a little. She caught him and helped him stabilize. He looked over at her and saw her cleavage poking out of the top of her tank top.

"Oh, looky there." said Daniel smiling as he stared at her boobs. He reached his hand down and grabbed her breast.

"Looks like those pain killers are kicking in." said Shaundi as she helped him into the car. She walked around the other side of the taxi and climbed in next to him.

xxxxxxxxxx

The elevator doors opened and Shaundi helped Daniel down the hallway toward their apartment.

"I can't use these things." said Daniel trying to walk with the crutches. Every stepped he took was murder on his chest and side.

"Here." said Shaundi taking a crutch away from him. He put his arm around her shoulder and leaned on her as they walked toward the entrance to their apartment.

She opened the doors and helped him inside. The apartment was empty.

"Where is everybody?" asked Daniel.

"I don't know." said Shaundi helping him down the hallway. "I told them you were coming home."

Shaundi helped Daniel into the bedroom and over to their bed. He placed his crutches beside the bed and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed. Shaundi placed his pillows behind him to prop him up. The doctor told him not to lay on his back because of his ribs. Daniel lay back and Shaundi helped bring his leg up onto the bed.

"You need anything?" asked Shaundi. Daniel smiled.

"I'm fine." he said softly. He gently grabbed her hand and caressed it with his thumb. "Thank you."

Shaundi smiled as he pulled on her hand for her to come toward him. She sat down on the bed next to him and gently ran her hand along his cheek feeling the stubble on his face.

"You're welcome." said Shaundi with a soft smile. Daniel pulled her down until their lips met and they shared a sensual kiss before the sound of the apartment door opening interrupted them.

"That's probably the others." said Shaundi slowly standing up. "I'll be right back."

"Okay." said Daniel. He tugged at her hand slightly before letting go of her. She smiled as she left the room.

Daniel leaned his head back and closed his eyes. The pain meds were making him drowsy. He felt like drifting off when he heard a muffled noise from out in the hallway.

"Shaundi?" asked Daniel. He waited for an answer...nothing.

He sat up in bed and clutched his side. He stared out in the hallway from bed.

"Shaundi?" he asked again. Still no answer.

Grabbing the crutches next to him he painfully lifted himself out of bed. He used one crutch to lean on as he hobbled out to the hallway.

"Shaundi?" he asked once more. "Anyone there?"

He hobbled down the hallway, gritting his teeth in pain with each step. He entered the living room and his eyes widened. Shaundi was being held captive by Guinness. He had a machete to her throat. Shaundi stared at Daniel with her teeth clenched together. She kept completely still as Guinness pressed the machete against her skin. Daniel opened his mouth to speak when he felt a gun being placed against his temple.

"Don't even think about it." said Sean, Guinness' brother. "One word and we slice her pretty throat."

Daniel stood quietly as Barry and Hugh brought two chairs from the kitchen and set them in the living room. Sean motioned for Daniel to move toward the chairs.

"Go on." said Sean. "Move."

Daniel slowly limped over to the chair as Sean held the gun on him.

"Hurry up!" yelled Sean kicking Daniel in the back knocking him to the floor. Daniel closed his eyes and groaned in pain. He began crawling toward the chair. Guinness could feel Shaundi's breathing grow faster as she watched Daniel crawl across the floor.

"He's fine." said Guinness pressing the machete tight against her throat. Shaundi looked down at the blade. It was rusty and smelt horrible.

"You smell that?" asked Guinness smiling. "That's the smell of the people I've killed with this blade. I've never washed it. Just remember that in case you want to try anything stupid. You wouldn't want to be the next person I kill with it."

Shaundi felt his hand slide down her stomach and up her shirt. Shaundi pursed her lips together and clenched her fists.

"You're a pretty thing." said Guinness.

"Don't touch her." said Daniel as he crawled to the chair.

"Sean?" said Guinness tilting his head toward Daniel. Sean smiled and kicked Daniel in the side causing him to curl up in pain.

"One more word and I shoot her in the kneecaps." said Sean. Daniel groaned and crawled up to the chair. He tried to pull himself up and fell from the strain in his side. Shaundi tried to move but Guinness pushed the machete even tighter against her.

"Don't worry." said Guinness. "He can do it."

Shaundi watched him struggle to get into the chair.

"Come on." said Guinness. "Get in that chair or I'll slit her throat. Hurry up!"

Daniel tried to lift himself up again and fell under the strain.

"That's not fast enough." said Guinness. "I'm gonna spill her blood all over this nice white floor if you don't get in that chair in 5, 4, 3,..."

Guinness began counting down and Daniel tried once more to get into the chair and fought the pain. He pulled himself up with a frustrated scream and felt tears form in his eyes.

"Good job, Danny boy!" yelled Guinness before leaning into Shaundi's ear. "See? I told you he could do it."

He smelled her hair and rubbed her stomach under her shirt as Barry and Hugh tied Daniel to the chair. Once he was tied down, Guinness walked Shaundi over to the chair next to him.

"Tie her down." said Guinness smiling. Barry and Hugh tied her to the chair and stood back.

"Now, where are the rest of you?" asked Guinness running the machete along Shaundi's breasts.

Daniel stared angrily at him. Guinness smiled.

"These have got to be the best pair of breasts I've ever seen." said Guinness. "Let's say we get a better look at them. What do you say boys?"

"Yeah!" screamed his men in unison. Guinness took his machete and cut open Shaundi's shirt to reveal her bra. Shaundi glared at him as he smiled down on her. He leaned down close to her and grabbed her face.

"Open that pretty little mouth of yours." said Guinness pulling her toward him. He went in to kiss her when she head butted him in the nose. Guinness stumbled backward and felt blood pour from his nostrils. He spit blood on the floor and glared angrily at her.

"Fuckin' bitch!" yelled Guinness before backhanding her hard on the cheek. Daniel lunged at him from the chair.

"Oh, you don't like that do you?" asked Guinness. "If you had died in that car crash like you were supposed to, you wouldn't be here to witness it."

Shaundi looked up in anger at his words. Guinness took the handle of his machete and hit Daniel over the head with it knocking him out.

"Now, tell me where the fuck are the rest of The Saints?!" yelled Guinness putting the machete back to Shaundi's neck. As if on cue, the doors to the apartment busted open.

"Hey assholes!" yelled The Boss as he and The Saints poured into the apartment. Matt carried in two big balloons that said "Get Well Soon" on them. He let them go when a Gaelic Son knocked him back with a kick. Matt caught himself and grabbed a statue sitting on a table next to him. He lifted it and smashed it over the Gaelic Son's head.

Across the room, Kinzie was going face to face with Sean.

"That offer I made you still stands." said Sean smiling at her.

"The answer is still 'No'" said Kinzie before giving him a sidekick in the stomach. He doubled over and smiled before lifting his gun at Kinzie's head. Kinzie kicked the gun out of his hand and went to land a punch on his face. Sean caught her hand and twisted her wrist. Kinzie screamed and started punching at his arm trying to get him to let go.

"Don't worry, gurl. I got you." said Pierce running up to her. He grabbed Sean by the throat and squeezed hard until his body went limp. He let go of Sean's throat causing him to fall to the ground with a THUD.

"Why did you do that?!" yelled Kinzie.

"I was helping you!" yelled Pierce.

"I don't need your help!" yelled Kinzie. "I can take care of myself!"

"Will you two shut the fuck up and help us!" yelled The Boss as he punched a Gaelic Son in the face. Kinzie glared a Pierce for a moment before starting a fight with another of Guinness' men.

The Saints continued to fight off The Gaelic Sons until none were left standing. That is, all but Guinness. He was standing behind Shaundi, still tied to the chair, with the machete to her throat. The Saints stepped toward him.

"Take one more step and I cut the bitch." said Guinness. They stopped moving and Guinness smiled.

"Who are you?" asked The Boss.

"I'm the owner of the pub you trashed." said Guinness.

"You did all this, got all of your men killed, because we trashed your pub?" asked The Boss.

"That, and I was offered a large sum of money to kill you." said Guinness.

"By who?" asked Ben.

"I don't know his name." said Guinness. "He wouldn't tell me."

"Well, what are you going to do now?" asked The Boss. "All your men are gone. It's you against us."

"I can still get rid of one of you." said Guinness pressing the machete hard against Shaundi's throat. She lifted her chin away from the blade and stared at her friends.

"You touch her and I'll break your neck myself." said The Boss. Guinness smiled and grabbed Shaundi by her hair. He pulled her head back and placed the macheted by her ear.

"Time to give you a permanent smile." said Guinness. He pressed the blade against her skin when a bullet hit him in the head. Guinness fell to the floor...dead.

The Saints turned to see Matt aiming Sean's gun at Guinness' body. He lowered the gun and let out a breath.

"If only Nightblade were here to see that." said Matt. The Boss smiled and walked over to put his arms around Matt.

"He would've been proud, man." said The Boss.

Asha ran over to untie Shaundi.

"Are you all right?" asked Asha. Shaundi pulled the ropes from her wrist.

"Yeah." said Shaundi rushing over to Daniel. He was still unconscious. Asha untied him while Shaundi tried to wake him up.

"Daniel? Daniel, wake up." said Shaundi placing her hand on his cheek. "C'mon, baby, wake up."

Daniel groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Asha pulled his hands free. Daniel brushed a bit of hair from her face before pulling her in for a hug.

"Are you two okay?" asked The Boss walking up to them. Shaundi stood up and swung around to land a punch on The Boss' face.

"Where the hell were you?!" asked Shaundi. The Boss rubbed his jaw and looked at her.

"We went out to get some presents for Daniel." said The Boss. "Sorry we were trying to do something nice for once."

Shaundi sighed and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry for hitting you." said Shaundi.

"It's okay." said The Boss. "I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner."

They looked around at the dead bodies littering their living room. Shaundi helped Daniel out of the chair.

"C'mon." said Shaundi. "Let's get you back in bed."

"I don't know." said Daniel leaning on her. The drowsiness from his pain meds was really starting to affect him. "I think I'm in the mood for a sponge bath."

Shaundi smiled as she helped him down the hallway.

"Or, better yet, I'll give you a sponge bath." said Daniel as he limped beside her.

The Boss watched as Shaundi helped Daniel into their bedroom and turned back to the others.

"C'mon." said The Boss. "We have a mess to clean up."


	32. Ease the Pain

**NOTE: This short chapter gives more insight into The Man and Vi. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 32: Ease the Pain

The Man and Vi sat in bed watching television. News of a gang of Irish immigrants found dead, their bodies dumped in a quarry, had them restless. The Man furiously grabbed the remote and shut off the television.

"I told those idiots not to underestimate them." said The Man. He tossed the remote on the bed and leaned back on his pillow. Vi sat quietly beside him in a black lace night gown. He looked over at her, his eyes full of fear and worry. She placed her hand on his cheek.

"It's going to be okay." said Vi. She leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

She pulled away from him and stared into his eyes. He stared back at her and they shared a look of genuine affection before he pulled her in for a kiss. The kiss was full of lust and hunger as they massaged the roof of each other's mouths with their tongues. The Man rolled over on his back. Vi climbed on top of him and straddled his waist. She lifted her nighty over her head and revealed her breasts. The Man reached up and caressed them with his hands as she pulled down his pants. She lowered herself onto him and leaned her head back, closing her eyes in pleasure, as she slowly started to move her hips on his shaft. He closed his eyes and moved his hands down to grip her thighs. She let out a pleasure filled moan as she began moving her hips in short circles.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly, still riding him. He nodded.

"I'm fine." he told her. "Keep going."

Vi closed her eyes and leaned her head back again as she increased her pace. The Man could feel his chest tighten and fought the urge to cough. He tightened his lips and closed his eyes trying to control his breathing. He couldn't do it. He began to cough uncontrollably and Vi got off of him. She sat next to him on the bed and tried to help him calm down. He reached beside him for his oxygen tank and pressed a plastic oxygen mask to his face. He coughed into the mask and a bloody mist filled the inside.

"I'll be right back." said Vi. "I'm going to get you some medicine."

Vi quickly hopped over him, grabbing her nighty in the process. She slipped it over her head as she rushed to the bathroom. Opening a cabinet she grabbed a wash cloth. She turned on the faucet to let the water run in the sink as she grabbed a bottle of cough syrup. The sound of The Man's coughs echoed into the bathroom. Vi placed the cloth under the running water to wet it. She stopped wetting the cloth when The Man's coughs grew more violent and ran back to the bedroom.

"Here." said Vi as she measured a dose of cough syrup. He drank it down between coughs. She sat down on the bed next to him and placed the cold rag on his skin. He was burning up.

"Those steroids aren't helping." said Vi.

"Nothing *cough* is helping." said The Man. "I'm dying, Vi."

Vi pulled the rag away from him and stared as he leaned back on his pillow. His coughing fit was starting to calm down a little. He closed his eyes tightly at the pain in his chest.

"I'm sorry." he said grabbing her hand. He opened his eyes and forced a smile.

"It's okay." said Vi softly. She slowly stood up and grabbed the cough syrup and wash cloth. She leaned down and gently kissed his forehead before walking back to the bathroom.

Vi put the medicine back in the cabinet and walked over to the sink. She had forgotten to turn off the water. She stared at the running water for a moment before looking at herself in the mirror. She heard The Man's coughs start-up again and she pursed her lips as tears began welling up in her eyes.

"Shit." she said before grabbing the toiletries on the counter. She threw them against the wall and they shattered spreading perfume and lotion everywhere.

"Dammit! Son of a bitch! Why?!" she screamed as she continued to throw items against the wall and mirror. Her face was red and tears streamed down her face. She grabbed a vase on the counter and threw it on the floor...breaking it. She fell to the floor screaming as she cried. She placed her hand on her forehead as she opened her mouth to let out another mournful scream and felt hot tears continue to pour from her eyes. The thought that her love would soon leave her filled her with overwhelming sadness. She felt powerless that she could do nothing to help ease his pain.

"Vi? *cough* I need you." said The Man.

Vi stood up and looked in the mirror again. She wiped her eyes and tried to compose herself.

"Vi?" gasped The Man.

"I'll be right there." said Vi sniffing as she wiped her eyes again. She turned off the faucet and walked out of the bathroom.

The Man was doubled over coughing into a tissue as she walked over to him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. He placed his head on her chest and she put her arms around him.

"I'm scared." choked The Man. Vi fought back tears and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"I'm here. Everything is going to be okay." said Vi. She closed her eyes and held him tightly as he cried in her arms.


	33. A Trade Secret

**NOTE: After last chapter, I figured it would be nice to have a happy moment. A VERY happy moment :) Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 33: A Trade Secret

Shaundi opened her eyes to the soft sunlight peeking through the blinds of her bedroom. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes before looking next to her. Daniel's side of the bed was empty. She saw a light coming from under their bathroom door and heard the shower running. It had been a little over a week since Daniel's accident. He still had to use crutches, but he was finally able to get around on his own.

The door to the bathroom opened and Daniel stepped through with a towel around his waist. He leaned on the crutches as he walked across the room. He had a bag on his leg covering his stitches so they wouldn't get wet.

"Getting tired of my sponge baths huh?" asked Shaundi as she watched him hobble across the room.

"No. It's just getting harder to resist you now." said Daniel as he dropped his towel.

"I know what you mean." said Shaundi as she admired his ass.

He opened a drawer and grabbed a pair of underwear. He leaned against the dresser to try and slip them on and stumbled a little. Shaundi got out of bed and went over to help. She knelt down in front of him and came eye level to his crotch. Daniel looked off when Shaundi raised her eyebrows at him. She smiled and helped him slip his feet in before pulling his underwear up to his hips. She ran her hands up the length of his body as she stood up.

"I want you so bad." said Daniel. Shaundi smiled and gently kissed his lips.

He leaned back on the dresser and pulled her toward him prolonging the kiss. He slid his hand up her shirt and around to her back. He could feel his heartbeat increasing rapidly and his breathing became faster. He flinched at the pain in his side from his broken ribs.

"Fuck." said Daniel pulling away from her. He gripped his side and stared at her. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." said Shaundi placing a hand on his cheek. He reached up to his cheek and grabbed her hand. He leaned on one crutch and led her to the bed.

"Lie down." said Daniel.

"Daniel, I can wait-"

"I know you can. I still want you to lie down." said Daniel. Shaundi looked at him with a confused look, but did as she was told. She lay back on the bed and watched as Daniel crawled in next to her. He gripped his side and was mindful of his leg.

"What are you doing?" asked Shaundi. She didn't want him to hurt himself.

"Don't worry. You're going to like this." said Daniel smiling at her. He comfortably positioned himself at the foot of the bed and pulled down her panties. Shaundi scrunched her brow confused as to what he planned to do.

"Daniel, what are you-"

Daniel smiled again and slowly leaned down to place his mouth between her legs. Shaundi's eyes fluttered.

"Holy Shit." she said as he began to tease her with his tongue. He smiled against her and slowly began to massage her clit.

Shaundi's eyes grew wide and she gripped the sheets. She let out breathless moans as Daniel moved his tongue in little circles.

"Wow, oh my God." said Shaundi softly arching her back a little. She brought her knees up and leaned her head back in ecstasy. She was so involved in the moment that she almost didn't hear a knock at the door.

"Shaundi? Daniel?" said Matt from the other side of the door.

"Y-yes?" asked Shaundi inhaling a breath of air.

"Boss wants to go out for breakfast. You two feel like coming?" asked Matt.

"N-no...you go ahead." said Shaundi trying to contain her pleasure. It was almost impossible.

"You want us to bring you guys back something?" asked Matt.

"Oh God YES!" screamed Shaundi unable to contain herself. Daniel moved his tongue faster. She reached her hands down and gripped his hair pushing his mouth even closer to her.

"Are you okay?" asked Matt leaning closer to the door.

"Oh, YES!" screamed Shaundi arching her back. Daniel reached his hand up and caressed her stomach as he continued his pace.

"Okay, we'll order you something." said Matt. He was confused over her enthusiasm.

Matt walked down the hallway scrunching his brow. He met up with the others in the living room.

"Well, do they want to come?" asked The Boss.

"No, but Shaundi seemed really excited about us bringing something back for her." said Matt.

"Oh my God!" screamed Shaundi from the bedroom. "Keep going, Daniel! Don't stop!"

The group heard her screams in the living room and they exchanged looks of embarassment. Johnny walked up to Matt and put his arm around him.

"Matty, I think you and I need to have a little talk." said Johnny leading him toward the door. The rest of the group laughed as they left the apartment.

Back in the bedroom, Daniel was bringing Shaundi on the verge of climax as he continued to massage her with his tongue.

"Oh, God!" yelled Shaundi as she began to move her hips against his mouth.

He moved his tongue faster until she finally climaxed. She arched her back and clenched her toes as she came before finally letting her body relax on the bed. Daniel carefully crawled up beside her and lay down as she tried to control her breathing. She put her arm up above her head and took several deep breaths.

"That...was...amazing." said Shaundi still breathing heavily. "Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

"It's a trade secret." said Daniel smiling. He carefully lifted his arm and wrapped it around her. She leaned close to him and gently placed her head on his chest and smiled. They lay together in silence, enjoying each other's company, until the group returned with their food.


	34. Last Chance

**NOTE: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. The next one will be much longer, I promise.**

GLITCH

Chapter 34: Last Chance

The Man sat at his desk holding an oxygen mask on his face. He tried to take slow breaths as he leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes and listened to the wood crackling in the fireplace. He drifted off for a few minutes before soft hands caressed his cheeks. He opened his eyes and looked up. Vi was standing over him. She examined his face. His eyes were sallow and his skin paler than normal. She could tell he needed to rest.

"Maybe we should reschedule the meeting." said Vi. "You're exhausted."

"No." said The Man placing the oxygen mask on his desk. "He only does business at night and we've already lost too much time."

The Man stood up from his chair and turned to face her. She looked at him with worry in her eyes. He smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine." he said trying to keep his smile genuine. He was lying to her. "Don't worry."

"I can't help it." said Vi reaching up to fix his tie. She fixed the knot and gently placed her hands on his chest.

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before he pulled her in for a hug. He rested his chin on the top of her head as she leaned against him.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

The two looked at the door to the office still in each other's embrace. The Man cleared his throat and pulled away from her. He nodded toward the door and Vi went to open it. The Man quickly put away his oxygen mask and slid the oxygen tank under his desk and out of sight. Vi reached the door and turned to look at him. He nodded toward the door again and she opened it.

Out in the hallway stood a pale man with long blond hair, red eyes, and extremely pale skin. Vi looked down at his hands. They were resting on top of a cane with a silver handle. His nails were long, but freshly manicured. Vi continued to look at him and he smiled at her revealing long fangs behind his lips. She scrunched her brow and slowly stepped aside to let him into the office.

"You must be Lestat." said The Man from behind his desk. Lestat nodded as he walked toward him.

"Yes." said Lestat.

"Have a seat." said The Man gesturing to a chair.

"I prefer to stand." said Lestat. He put his cane in front of him and leaned on it, placing his hands ontop of the handle. "You said you had a business proposition?"

"Yes." said The Man walking to around his desk. "You came highly recommended by some clients of mine. They told me about your...infatuation with vampirism...I didn't realize it was so...profound."

"Don't believe the rumors." said Lestat. "It's all for show. Now, what is it you need from me?"

"What do you now about The Saints?" asked The Man leaning back on the edge of his desk.

"They've become pretty famous over the past few months." said Lestat. "No one seems to know who they are."

"I do." said The Man. "I need you to get rid of them."

He turned around to grab an envelope full of information on The Saints. He handed it to Lestat who began to thumb through it all. His long nails flipped up the corners of the papers.

"How soon do you need them gone?" asked Lestat.

"Yesterday." said The Man.

"I take it time is of the essence?" asked Lestat.

"I've already lost several people on this job." said The Man. "I'm putting my faith in you now. The address for their apartment is in the information I gave you."

"I won't be needing that." said Lestat putting the envelope down on the desk. The Man looked at the envelope and back at Lestat.

"What do you mean?" asked The Man. "Are you not taking the job?"

"Oh, I'll take the job." said Lestat. "But, from what I have heard, The Saints are pretty resilient. Taking them on their own turf isn't a smart thing to do. Considering they've been attacked already, they're probably on high alert."

"So, what do you plan to do?" asked The Man.

"We need to get them somewhere unfamiliar." said Lestat. "Bait them to a place where we have the upper hand."

"What did you have in mind?" asked The Man. Lestat smiled and proceeded to tell The Man his plan for taking out The Saints. Vi stood by and listened. She looked over at The Man. He was still leaning back on the desk. His hands were shaking and he put them in his pockets.

Lestat and The Man finished their meeting.

"The Saints will be dead by the end of the week." said Lestat. He bowed his head toward Vi before leaving the office. She shut the door behind him and turned toward The Man. He tried to stand up from his desk and lost his balance. Vi ran to catch him just before he hit the floor.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." said Vi. He leaned on her as they made their way to the bedroom.

"This is our last chance." said The Man as they walked into the room. "If he doesn't pull through, neither will I."

Vi helped him lay down on the bed. She lifted his legs up onto the mattress and helped him remove his tie.

"Everything is going to be okay." said Vi sitting down on the bed next to him. He looked at her through tired eyes.

"I don't think even you believe that anymore." he said solemnly. Vi placed her hand on his cheek and leaned down to give him a soft kiss before curling up in bed next to him. She looked up to see his eyes closed and listened to the hoarseness of his breath. It didn't take him long to fall asleep. He was so tired and weak. Vi reached beside her and grabbed his arm to pull it around her. She nestled close to him and lay quietly staring at the ceiling.

"I do believe it." she said quietly. "I have to."


	35. The Coven

**NOTE: The possibilities...are 50/50. That's all I'm going to say. Enjoy the chapter!**

GLITCH

Chapter 35: The Coven

The Saints were out at a popular night club. Since Daniel was finally able to get around, they wanted to treat him to a night on the town.

"Here's to Daniel." said The Boss raising a shot glass in the air. "We're glad he's finally able to come out and party with us."

Daniel smiled and grabbed a shot glass. He leaned on one crutch and lifted the glass in the air. Everyone clinked their glasses together before tossing them back and slamming them on the table. Everyone except Shaundi. She went to put the glass to her lips when her mouth began to water. She put the glass down on the table and felt her stomach begin to turn.

"Shaundi?" asked Daniel looking over at her. "Are you all right?"

"I don't know." said Shaundi placing a hand on her stomach. She felt its contents start rising up to her throat. She gagged and placed a hand on her mouth before running to the bathroom. The group stared at each other for a moment.

"We'll go see if she's okay." said Asha pulling Kinzie by the sleeve of her jacket. "C'mon Kinzie."

"But, I-" said Kinzie reaching for another drink.

"I said come on." said Asha dragging her away from the others. She pulled Kinzie behind her until they reached the bathroom. They opened the door to hear the sounds of Shaundi violently heaving over the toilet. Asha looked under the door of a stall and saw Shaundi's knees on the floor. Asha knocked on the stall door.

"Shaundi? Are you feeling all right?" asked Asha.

"What kind of question is that?" asked Kinzie. "Listen to her. She sounds like a dying rhino."

Asha slapped Kinzie on the arm as Shaundi stood up to flush the toilet. The door to the stall opened and Shaundi stood quietly in front of them.

"Are you okay?" asked Asha.

"I'm fine." said Shaundi pushing through her and Kinzie. She walked over to the sinks to wash her face.

"You don't sound like you're fine." said Asha.

"Yeah, that sounded awful." said Kinzie.

Shaundi splashed water on her face before cupping her hands together under the faucet. She filled her hands full of water and brought them to her lips to wash out her mouth. She spit out the water and turned off the faucet before turning to Asha and Kinzie.

"I'm fine." said Shaundi wiping water from her chin. "I must have ate something that didn't agree with me. I'm okay now."

"You sure?" asked Asha.

"Yes." said Shaundi nodding. Asha smiled at her.

"Then what do you say we go back to the party?" asked Asha placing a hand on Shaundi's shoulder.

"Way ahead of you." said Kinzie already half way to the door. Shaundi smiled as her and Asha followed Kinzie out. They walked across the club to their table to join the others. Daniel turned to her and gently placed a hand on the small of her back.

"You okay?" he asked. Shaundi nodded.

"I'm fine." she said giving him a small smile. Daniel softly rubbed her back as she leaned close to him. They watched as The Boss tossed back another shot before slamming the glass on the table.

"I'm going to go get us some more drinks." he said before walking toward the bar. As he walked, he passed a group of men dressed in black. They were extremely pale and were following a man with long blonde hair and a cane. The strange man smiled at him as they passed. The Boss scrunched his brow when he noticed the stranger's teeth. He had long fangs poking out from behind his lips. The Boss stopped and watched as the group passed him. He saw them walk toward the back of the club. He stared at them for a moment before turning back to the bar.

"Back again?" asked the bartender.

"Yeah. We'd like another round." said The Boss looking back at the strange group.

"Sure thing." said the bartender as he grabbed nine shot glasses. He began pouring tequila into each one.

"Do you know who they are?" asked The Boss. The bartender stopped pouring drinks and looked at him.

"You mean, you don't?" asked the bartender.

"Should I?" asked The Boss turning to look at him.

"They call themselves _The Coven._" said the bartender. "Some people say they're some sort of cult. They're real big on vampirism, though I heard they don't really drink blood...except for Lestat."

"Lestat?" asked The Boss.

"He's their leader." said the bartender. "He loaned my boss a lot of money to open this club. He must be here to collect this month's payment."

The Boss turned around again to see Lestat and his group walk into a room in the very back of the club.

"Lestat?" said Henry, the owner of the night club. He watched as the group entered his office. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to collect the money you owe me." said Lestat.

"I..." said Henry. He nervously leaned back in his chair and started sweating. There was a black suitcase sitting in front of him on the desk. Henry tried not to stare at it.

Lestat peered down his nose at Henry.

"You do have my money don't you?" asked Lestat. "You're already behind on paying me back as it is."

"I'll get you your money. I just need a little more time." said Henry.

Lestat looked at the suitcase on the desk and placed the handle of his cane ontop of it.

"You're not holding out on me are you?" asked Lestat.

"Of-of course not." said Henry. "I wouldn't do that to you. This is just some product I've been trying to sell to earn a little extra cash."

Lestat turned to one of his men and tilted his head toward Henry.

"Taylor, hold him down." said Lestat. Taylor smiled and walked over to Henry before pinning him to his chair so he couldn't move.

Lestat used his cane to turn the suitcase around on the desk and ran his long fingers on the locks. There were small dials for a combination to open it.

"What's the combination?" asked Lestat. Henry stared up at him.

"Uh...it's...uhm." Henry felt Taylor dig his long nails into his shoulder and screamed. "It's 6473!"

Lestat smiled and put in the combination. The case clicked and Lestat lifted it open to reveal a large amount of money neatly stacked inside.

"I'm sorry." said Henry. "I-I need the money. I can't afford to keep paying you each month. I have a wife, a kid, house payments, car payments..."

"You should have thought of that before you came to me for money." said Lestat. "I told you the rules on how I handle business."

"I know." said Henry. "If you could lower your price per month, or maybe let me pay you every two months, I'll be able to get you your money."

Henry's cell phone began to ring. Taylor reached into his jacket pocket and pulled it out.

"Is your wife's name Vera?" asked Taylor.

Henry closed his eyes as Taylor answered the phone. He put it on speaker and placed it against Henry's ear.

"Vera?" asked Henry. "Now's not a good time, baby."

"I'm just calling to see if you're ready for our little permanent vacation? I'm all packed and ready for you to come pick me up." said Vera on the other end of the phone. "Did you get the money?"

"Y-yeah, baby." said Henry softly. He looked up at Lestat. "I got the money."

"When do you think you'll be able to come pick me up? I'm just itching to get out of here." said Vera.

"I don't know." said Henry. "I-I have to go now, baby."

Vera began to talk but was cut off by Taylor ending the call. Lestat looked down at Henry and reached for his cane.

"Now, look-" said Henry putting his hands up in defense.

Lestat pulled a sword out of his cane and quickly cut Henry's throat before he could finish talking. Blood sprayed from the slice in his neck. Henry gurgled and fell forward onto his desk. Blood began to pool under his head and dripped off onto the carpet below him. Lestat put the sword up to his mouth and ran the bloody blade along his tongue before sticking it back into his cane. He nodded for one of his men to grab the suitcase and turned to leave.

They left the office and walked across the club. They passed The Saints and Taylor bumped into Daniel knocking him off balance.

"Hey!" yelled The Boss. Taylor stopped walking and turned around.

"What?" asked Taylor.

"Watch where you're going." said The Boss. Taylor looked up to see Johnny helping Daniel regain his balance on his crutches.

"What if I don't?" asked Taylor looking back at The Boss.

"Then I'm going to jam my foot up your ass." said The Boss stepping closer to Taylor. "How would that feel?"

Taylor smiled before lunging for The Boss. He pushed The Boss back against the table. The Boss knocked Taylor back and landed a punch to his face. Taylor fell down and caught himself on a nearby table. He stood up and lunged for The Boss again before Lestat placed a hand on his chest. Taylor clenched his fist and stepped back.

"My apologies." said Lestat turning to look at The Boss. "Taylor has a bit of a temper."

"Tell him to watch where he's going." said The Boss angrily. "He bumped into my friend and almost knocked him over."

"I apologize." said Lestat. "There must be some way I can make up for his brutish actions."

Lestat reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small business card.

"I tell you what." said Lestat. "I'm throwing a private party at my club this Friday night. You and your friends are more than welcome to come. Drinks will be on the house."

The Boss took the card from Lestat.

"We'll think about it." said The Boss.

"Please do." said Lestat. He bowed his head before turning to leave. The Boss looked at the card before turning around to the others.

"That was strange." said Matt. "Who were those guys?"

"Did you see that guy's teeth?" asked Pierce.

The group looked at The Boss who was still staring down at the card.

"Boss? You're not considering actually going to that thing are you?" asked Johnny.

"Yeah, something's not right." said Asha.

"You're right." said The Boss. "That's why we're going."

"Fuck that, playa." said Ben.

"Look, we need to find out more about this asshole. I agree with Asha, something isn't right." said The Boss. "Who's with me?"

"We're with you, Boss." said Johnny grabbing a shot glass. The rest followed suit before they clinked their glasses together and tossed them back, except for Shaundi. She still felt sick to her stomach and couldn't bring herself to drink. Daniel leaned close to her.

"Are you sure you're all right?" asked Daniel.

"Yes." said Shaundi. "I'm just a little sick to my stomach. I'll be fine."

"Want me to take you home?" asked Daniel placing a hand on her forehead. "You're awfully warm."

"It's just hot in here." said Shaundi crossing her arms. "I'm fine."

"Okay." said Daniel. "Did you think about that question I asked you this morning?"

"About dinner with your parents?" asked Shaundi. His mother had called him earlier that day and asked if he would come to dinner. Daniel insisted that she go with him.

"Yeah." said Daniel.

"I don't know." said Shaundi. "Your mother doesn't seem to like me very much."

"That's not true." said Daniel.

"You didn't see the look she gave me at the hospital when you told her you didn't need her help." said Shaundi. "She looked like she wanted to rip my head off."

"I wouldn't let her do that." said Daniel smiling. Shaundi let out a small laugh.

"Please come?" asked Daniel.

Shaundi's smile disappeared and she looked down at the table.

"Okay." said Shaundi softly as she felt her stomach start to turn again. She forced a smile and Daniel leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Thank you." said Daniel. Shaundi leaned close to him as he put his arm around her. They listened as The Boss and the others discussed what they were going to wear to the party on Friday.


	36. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

**NOTE: Let me know what you think of this chapter! All will be resolved in the next one. I will post it tomorrow.**

GLITCH

Chapter 36: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Shaundi stood staring in the mirror as she pulled her hair back into a stylish ponytail. She was getting ready to have dinner with Daniel's parents and she was extremely nervous. She wanted to make a good impression, but the idea of being around his mother had her stomach in knots.

"Shaundi?" asked Daniel as he walked into the bathroom. He leaned on his crutches and looked at her from top to bottom. She looked beautiful.

"I'm almost ready." said Shaundi smiling at him in the mirror.

"Okay." said Daniel smiling back at her. He turned around and walked out of the room.

Shaundi looked at herself in the mirror again. Her stomach felt like it was being forced up to her throat. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She placed a hand on her stomach and tried to calm herself.

"_Calm down, Shaundi_."she told herself. "_It's just dinner."_

She opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror again. She felt her mouth begin to water and ran to the toilet. She heaved over it and held her hair back as she threw up.

xxxxxxxxxx

Daniel waited for her in the living room. He leaned on his crutches and watched The Saints as they gathered around the front door.

"Where are you going?" asked Daniel.

"To a party." said The Boss. "Where else?"

"You guys just can't have a normal night at home can you?" asked Daniel.

"Hell no." said Johnny as they turned to leave.

"You two have a good time tonight." said Asha giving Daniel a smile.

"Yeah, don't do anything I wouldn't do." said The Boss. "Which isn't much."

The Boss grabbed his keys and gave Daniel a small salute before leaving the apartment. Daniel smiled and shut the door behind them before turning to see Shaundi standing in the hallway.

"You ready?" asked Daniel.

"Yes." said Shaundi nodding. Daniel smiled and opened the door for her. She took a deep breath and stepped through the door. Daniel followed her out and they made their way downstairs to hail a taxi.

xxxxxxxxxx

The taxi pulled up in front a small brick house. It was old, but well kept. Shaundi opened the door and stepped out of the car. She walked around to Daniel's side of the car and helped him with his crutches. He pulled himself out of the car and leaned on his good leg until Shaundi helped him get his crutches situated.

"I can't wait to get rid of these things." said Daniel as Shaundi shut the car door.

She walked up behind him and placed her hand on the back of his neck before running her fingers up through his hair. He looked over at her and smiled before they made their way up the sidewalk. Daniel rang the doorbell and his father answered the door.

"Hey!" said Arthur patting Daniel's back. "Come on in!"

They stepped inside and Arthur looked at Shaundi.

"You look lovely." said Arthur. "Glad you could make it."

"Thank you." said Shaundi with a small smile. Arthur smiled back at her and led them into the living room. It was comfortably decorated, very warm and inviting.

"Make yourself at home." said Arthur sitting down in his recliner. He leaned back and looked at the television as Marie came running into the room.

"Daniel, sweetheart!" she said as she ran over to him. "It's so good to see you!"

Marie wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, Ma." said Daniel smiling as she stepped away from him. She saw Shaundi standing quietly beside him.

"Hi." said Shaundi nervously.

"Hello." said Marie before placing her arm around Daniel's shoulders. She turned her back to Shaundi and led Daniel into the kitchen. Shaundi clasped her hands together and rocked back on her feet fighting the knot in her stomach.

"Don't let her get to you." said Arthur. "She takes some getting used to."

Shaundi smiled at him in appreciation before following Daniel into the kitchen.

"I've made you your favorite." said Marie as she opened the oven to show Daniel a fat roast.

"Wow, ma." said Daniel. "You really went all out didn't you?"

"Of course, sweetheart." said Marie. "You haven't come to dinner in a long time. I wanted it to be special."

"I'm sorry I haven't been over in a while." said Daniel. "I've been really busy."

"I'm sure you have." said Marie glancing at Shaundi before Lewis entered the kitchen with his girlfriend, Cindy.

"Hey, bro." said Lewis giving Daniel a fist bump. Cindy smiled at him.

"You look great!" said Cindy hugging him. "You seem to be recovering nicely!"

"Yeah." said Daniel. "I get my stitches out on Thursday."

"That's fantastic!" said Cindy smiling. She looked past him and saw Shaundi standing quietly behind him. Daniel turned around.

"Right." said Daniel motioning for Shaundi to come toward him. "Cindy? This is Shaundi."

"Hi." said Shaundi smiling softly.

"Nice to meet you." said Cindy smiling back at her before leaning close to Lewis. "You weren't lying, she's gorgeous."

"Told you." said Lewis quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

"Cindy, sweety, would you mind helping me set the table?" asked Marie.

"Sure." said Cindy happily. She walked over to the cabinets to grab a set of plates.

"Daniel? You go sit down and rest." said Marie. "We'll come get you when dinner is ready."

"You sure? I can help." said Daniel.

"You're still healing. You should be resting." said Marie pushing him lightly toward the living room. "Go sit down."

Daniel hobbled into the living room after looking back at Shaundi. He knew she felt un-comfortable and didn't want to leave her alone. He tilted his head for her to join him in the living room.

"Shaundi? Do you want to help me set the table?" asked Cindy.

"Okay." said Shaundi as Cindy handed her the silverware. Daniel gave her a reassuring smile before walking out of the room.

Shaundi followed Cindy into the dining room. In the center of the room was a small round dining table. Cindy started setting out the plates and Shaundi went behind her and placed down the silverware. Soon, the table was set and they went back into the kitchen.

"Good, I'm glad you're back." said Marie. "Cindy, I need your help for a minute."

"Okay." said Cindy as she walked up beside Marie. Shaundi stepped forward.

"Do you need me to help you with anything?" asked Shaundi.

"That's okay." said Marie waving the question away.

Shaundi bit her lip and watched as Marie placed her hand on Cindy's back. Marie smiled as Cindy helped her finish making a pie. Shaundi took a deep breath and turned to walk into the living room. Daniel was sitting on the couch next to Lewis with his leg propped up on the coffee table. Shaundi walked up to him and he looked up at her.

"Everything okay?" asked Daniel grabbing her hand. Shaundi nodded as he pulled her down to sit on the arm of the couch. She leaned close to him and ran her fingers through his hair as he put his arm around her waist.

"What are you watching?" asked Shaundi looking at the television.

"Football." said Arthur staring intently at the screen.

"It's torture." said Lewis looking at her. "Dad, can we please watch something else?"

"Shut up, son." said Arthur reaching for his beer.

"I never get any say in this house." said Lewis as he stood up from the couch.

"Once you move out, you can say whatever you want." said Arthur as Lewis walked out of the room.

Daniel let out a small chuckle before Cindy poked her head into the room.

"Okay, dinner is ready." she said. "You guys can come make your plates."

Daniel grabbed his crutches and pulled himself up off the couch. Shaundi let him go first into the dining room before they all grabbed their plates and went into the kitchen. Lewis went over the counter where Marie had layed out the food. He began to pile food onto his plate as Daniel and Shaundi went behind him. Daniel tried to hold his plate while still trying to work his crutches. He put a spoonful of casserole on his plate and almost dropped it. Shaundi caught it in time.

"Daniel, go sit down." said Shaundi. "I'll make your plate."

"No, I got it." said Daniel reaching for his plate. Shaundi pulled it away.

"I said I'll make your plate." said Shaundi. "Go sit down."

"All right. Thank you." said Daniel. He leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

"Your welcome." said Shaundi softly as Daniel went back to the dining room.

Shaundi began to fill his plate and didn't notice Marie watching over her shoulder. Once the plate was full, Shaundi turned to take it to Daniel. She started walking toward the dining room when Marie grabbed the plate from her hand. Shaundi scrunched her brow in confusion.

"Is something wrong?" asked Shaundi walking over to Marie.

"No, it's just that..." said Marie.

"What?" asked Shaundi.

"It's just that Daniel doesn't like his food to touch." said Marie. Shaundi watched as she took a butter knife and began separating Daniel's food into neat portions. Shaundi couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"I've seen Daniel eat food regardless of it touching or not." said Shaundi slightly annoyed. "I really don't think he cares."

"I think I know what my son likes." said Marie. Shaundi stared at Marie for a moment and crossed her arms.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Shaundi. "I mean, what is it about me that you don't like?"

Marie put down the butter knife and looked into the dining room to make sure Daniel was there before turning to Shaundi.

"I don't think you're right for my son." said Marie bluntly.

"Why?" asked Shaundi defensively. "Because I didn't know that he doesn't like his food to touch on a plate?"

"Because you can't take care of him like I can." said Marie raising her voice.

"I think I've been doing a damn good job taking care of him for the past two weeks." said Shaundi raising her voice as well.

"Is everything okay in here?" asked Daniel standing in the doorway. He'd heard yelling and went to investigate.

Shaundi looked at him and back at Marie before walking out of the room and out to the back porch. Daniel looked at his mother.

"Ma, what happened?" asked Daniel.

"I don't know." said Marie shrugging her shoulders. Daniel stared at her for a moment before following Shaundi outside. He saw her standing next to the porch railing with her arms crossed.

"Shaundi?" asked Daniel. Shaundi closed her eyes at the sound of his voice. "What happened?"

"Your mother hates me." said Shaundi.

"She doesn't hate you." said Daniel placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You didn't hear what she said to me." said Shaundi looking up at him. "I mean, so what if I didn't know about you not liking your food to touch. What kind of basis is that for a relationship anyway?!"

"Wait, she told you that?" asked Daniel.

"Yeah." said Shaundi nodding.

"Shaundi, I haven't like that since I was 8 years old." said Daniel as he brought his hand up to her cheek.

Shaundi began to feel nauseous and closed her eyes before placing a hand on her stomach.

"I thought you said you were feeling better?" asked Daniel.

"I was." said Shaundi. "Your mother just has me so stressed out."

"So, you've been so freaked out about my mom that it's been making you sick?" asked Daniel.

Shaundi closed her eyes again.

"I just want her to like me." said Shaundi softly.

"Why?" asked Daniel.

"Because she's your mother, Daniel." said Shaundi with a stern voice. Daniel sighed and pulled her in for a hug. Shaundi leaned into his embrace before her stomach began to gurgle. She pulled away from him and ran into the house with her hand over her mouth.

Shaundi ran through the kitchen almost knocking Lewis down and ran down the hall to the bathroom. The sound of her puking echoed through out the house. Daniel hobbled into the kitchen and glanced at his mother before walking down the hallway. Arthur came into the kitchen when he heard Shaundi throwing up.

"That doesn't sound good." said Arthur. "I hope she's okay."

"She's pregnant." said Lewis nonchalantly before walking back into the dining room.

Arthur's eyes grew wide and he turned to look at Marie whose mouth was hanging open. They stared at each other for a moment before turning to look down the hallway.


	37. A Better Place

**NOTE: I hope you enjoy the chapter! It's a bit long, but a lot happens in it. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 37: A Better Place

Daniel walked into the bathroom to see Shaundi leaning over the toilet retching her body as she threw up. He walked over to her and slowly sat down on the edge of the bathtub before placing a hand on her back.

"I'm sorry." said Shaundi as she leaned her arm on the toilet seat. She slowly placed her head in her hand.

"It's all right." said Daniel as he brushed hair away from her face.

Shaundi tried to smile at him before she retched her body again in preparation to throw up. Daniel sat and held her hair back until she was finished.

"Maybe, I should just take you home." said Daniel. "I hate seeing you like this."

"I'll be okay." said Shaundi placing a hand on her forehead.

She stood up and flushed the toilet before walking over to the sink. Daniel used his crutches to pull himself up and watched as she washed out her mouth. Daniel grabbed a towel and gave it to her to dry off.

"Are you sure?" asked Daniel. "I could get Lewis to drive us home."

"I'm sure." said Shaundi. She wiped her mouth with the towel and tossed it in a hamper.

Daniel watched her leave the bathroom and he followed her out. They walked down the hallway and back into the dining room to see his parents waiting for them. Lewis was sitting at the table stuffing his face with food. Cindy sat quietly next to him. Arthur glared at Daniel and crossed his arms.

"Son? Is there something you want to tell us?" asked Arthur.

"Um, I don't think so." said Daniel confused. He didn't understand what was going on.

"I am so sorry." said Marie as she wrapped her arms around Shaundi.

"I-It's okay." said Shaundi as she turned to Daniel before mouthing _"What the hell?"._

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. He was just as confused as her.

"Here I am thinking you couldn't give my son what he needs when, in reality, you're giving him something I never thought he'd have." said Marie as she pulled away from Shaundi. "Why didn't you tell us you two were having a baby?"

"Um, excuse me?" asked Shaundi turning back to Daniel. He scrunched his brow and stared at his parents.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, ma." said Daniel. "But we're not having a baby. Shaundi's not pregnant."

"Oh, thank God." said Arthur relieved. "I knew you weren't that stupid."

"B-but she...why was she throwing up?" asked Marie.

"Because, Ma. She's been making herself sick stressing out over YOU." said Daniel. "She thinks you don't like her."

"You think I don't like you?" asked Marie turning to look at Shaundi.

"You seemed to make that pretty clear earlier." said Shaundi. Marie put her hand on her chest.

"That was wrong of me. I never should have said that." said Marie. She put her arm out and motioned for Shaundi to come toward her. "Come here, sweetheart."

Shaundi didn't move. She was still a bit confused over what had just happened and didn't know what to think of Marie's sudden change toward her.

"It's okay. Come on." said Marie. Shaundi slowly stepped forward and Marie put her arm around her. "Come with me into the kitchen. I'm going to give you some ginger. It will help calm your stomach."

Daniel watched them walk into the kitchen and turned to his father.

"What in the hell made you the think Shaundi was pregnant?" asked Daniel. Arthur turned to look at Lewis who was still stuffing his face. Lewis looked up at them.

"What?" asked Lewis with a mouthful of food. "I was just joking."

Cindy smacked Lewis on the arm and he dropped his fork on the table.

"Ow!" said Lewis grabbing his arm. "Damn, that hurt."

"You deserved it." said Cindy.

In the kitchen, Marie was cutting off a slice of raw ginger root for Shaundi.

"I like to keep this around for Arthur." said Marie. "He suffers from awful flatulence. I try to give it to him whenever I can."

She gave Shaundi a slice of ginger and she bit into it. Shaundi scrunched her face a little at the taste.

"Yeah, it can take some getting used to." said Marie noticing her reaction. "It helps though. I promise."

Shaundi took another bite and noticed Marie staring at her. She looked like she was about to cry.

"I really am sorry about earlier." said Marie placing a hand on her chest.

"It's okay." said Shaundi.

"No, it's not." said Marie. "I never should have said that you weren't good enough for my son. You obviously care very deeply for him if you were so worried about my impression of you."

Shaundi swallowed the ginger that was in her mouth and stared at Marie.

"It's just that, you're the first woman Daniel has ever been this close to." said Marie. "When I saw you at the hospital the day of Daniel's accident, I realized just HOW close you two were getting. Then, when he said he didn't need my help...it hurt."

Marie tried hard to hold back tears, but failed. She began to cry as she continued to talk.

"I'm worried, that with you around, he may never need me again." said Marie. She placed a hand over her mouth to hold back a whimper.

"That's not true." said Shaundi reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll always be his mother. He loves you."

"He loves you, too." said Marie trying to compose herself. "I can see it when he looks at you."

Shaundi removed her hand from Marie's shoulder. She stood quietly for a moment and looked down at the floor. The thought of her fight with Daniel entered her mind briefly and she closed her eyes before letting out a breath.

"Your son is a good man. The best I've ever met." said Shaundi looking up at Marie. "He's been the only REAL thing in my life. He's willing to look past my faults and see me for me. My world is a better place because of him."

Marie smiled and pulled Shaundi in for a hug unexpectedly. Shaundi stood still for a moment before slowly wrapping her arms around her.

"HIS world is a better place because of YOU." said Marie. They continued to hug for a moment before Daniel entered the kitchen. They broke the hug to look at him. Marie wiped her eyes.

"Lewis said he would drive us home." said Daniel. "You feel well enough to stay or do you want to head back?"

"Oh, please stay." said Marie turning to Shaundi. "I'd hate to send you two home on an empty stomach."

Shaundi looked at Daniel. He stared at her waiting for an answer.

"Okay." said Shaundi smiling softly at Marie. "We'll stay."

"Oh good!" said Marie happily. She put her arm around Shaundi again and led her into the dining room. Shaundi looked back at Daniel and smiled. He smiled back and watched them sit down at the table. He hobbled into the dining room and sat down next to Shaundi. He stared at his plate for a moment before looking up at his mother.

"Ma, could I get more potatoes?" asked Daniel. Marie smiled and stood up from the table.

"Of course, sweetheart." said Marie as she went into the kitchen. She came back with a bowl of mashed potatoes and brought out a spoonful to put on his plate.

"I got it, ma." said Daniel. He took the spoon and dipped it back into the bowl. He brought the spoon up overflowing with potatoes and slammed it on his plate not caring if it touched the other food. Daniel put the spoon back into the bowl and grabbed a gravy boat on the table. He began pouring gravy all over his food when he noticed his mother staring down at him.

"What?" asked Daniel winking at Shaundi. She smiled and felt him grab her hand underneath the table.

"Nothing." said Marie smiling. She knew what he was doing. She put the bowl back in the kitchen and came back to the table to sit down.

xxxxxxxxxx

After dinner, Daniel and Shaundi called a taxi to take them home. They said their goodbyes and Marie made sure to give Shaundi an exceptionally long hug before she left. Shaundi helped Daniel into the taxi and waved at his parents as she climbed in next to him. The taxi rolled away from the house and Shaundi took a deep breath of relief.

"Turned out to be a pretty good dinner." said Daniel. "Feeling better?"

"Yes." said Shaundi smiling. Daniel held her hand as they rode home. He looked out of the window as they entered the city. They were nearing their apartment. Daniel leaned forward to the front seat.

"Don't take us back just yet." said Daniel to the driver. "There's a pharmacy up the street. I want to stop there first."

Daniel leaned back in his seat and noticed Shaundi staring at him.

"My leg is bothering me." said Daniel. "I want to stop and pick up some more Ibuprofen."

Shaundi squeezed his hand and smiled as they made their way up the street. The taxi pulled into the parking lot of the pharmacy and Shaundi reached for the door handle.

"Don't." said Daniel. "I'll get it."

"I don't mind going in." said Shaundi. She didn't want Daniel to strain himself.

"I know." said Daniel giving her a small smile. "I can handle it. You've had a rough night. You stay here and rest a bit."

Shaundi smiled and leaned back in her seat. She watched Daniel struggle a little as he got out of the car. She moved to help him and he put his hand up to stop her.

"I got it." said Daniel as he situated his crutches under his arms. "I'll be right back."

Shaundi watched as Daniel hobbled into the store. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She didn't realize how tired she was. She was close to drifting off when the door to the taxi opened. She opened her eyes to see Daniel climb into the back seat. He set a plastic shopping back next to him as he lifted his leg into the car. Shaundi looked down and saw a pink box sticking out of the bag. She reached down to pick it up and read the label.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi. "What the hell is this?"

Daniel sighed and looked at her before closing the car door.

"What happened at dinner kind of got me thinking. We haven't always been careful. I just want to make sure that it WAS my mother that was making you sick and not...something else." said Daniel. Shaundi stared at him for a moment before looking back at the box.

"A pregnancy test?" asked Shaundi.

She began to feel light headed as she continued to stare at the box. She sat quietly with the box in her hands until they reached the apartment.

xxxxxxxxxx

Daniel opened the door to their apartment and let Shaundi go in first. The Saints were gathered in the living room watching television. Shaundi quickly hid the pregnancy test behind her back.

"I though you guys were going to a party?" asked Daniel as he limped into the living room.

"We did." said The Boss. "It was a dud, so we came home."

"How was your dinner?" asked Kinzie leaning on the arm of the couch.

"It was nice." said Daniel. Shaundi forced a smile before looking down at the floor.

"Shaundi?" asked Asha. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." said Shaundi. "Just a little tired. I'm going to bed. Good night."

Shaundi turned around, making sure to hide the pregnancy test from her friends, and walked down the hallway toward the bedroom.

"Night." said Daniel before following her down the hallway.

He entered the bedroom to see Shaundi standing in their bathroom. She was biting her thumbnail while staring at the pregnancy test on the counter. She looked up to see Daniel staring at her and shut the door. Daniel sat on the bed and clasped his hands together as he waited for Shaundi to come out.

A short time later, Shaundi was staring down at the white stick in her hand. Her heart was racing and she felt like fainting as she waited for the results to show up. She looked up and saw herself in the mirror. She turned sideways and placed a hand on her stomach. She took a deep breath and looked back at the pregnancy test.

"Hurry the fuck up." said Shaundi when it was still blank. As if it had heard her, the results of the test began to appear. Shaundi almost forgot to breath as she looked at the test. She closed her eyes and turned to open the bathroom door.

Daniel heard the door open and grabbed his crutches to stand up. Shaund stood in the doorway of the bathroom with pregnancy test in her hand.

"It's negative." said Shaundi softly. Daniel sighed and limped toward her. He grabbed her hand and led her to the bed.

"I suppose it's a good thing." said Shaundi as she sat down. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah." said Daniel as he sat down next to her. "It's too soon in our relationship for us to have a baby. This is just a reminder that we should be a bit more careful from now on."

Shaundi looked down at the pregnancy test and sighed. Daniel placed his arm around her and pulled her close to him.

"I don't even know if I'd make a good mother." said Shaundi. "The whole idea of having a baby scares the shit out of me."

"Having a baby can be a scary thing." said Daniel. "It can also be a very beautiful thing."

"I don't remember ever seeing a child before I came here." said Shaundi. "I wouldn't know what to do."

"Believe me, when it does happen, you'll know what to do." said Daniel. Shaundi looked up at him when he'd said "_when". _He looked back at her and smiled. Shaundi felt his hand caress her arm and she leaned closer to him.

"Even though you're not pregnant, it doesn't mean we can't keep practicing." said Daniel raising his eyebrows at her. She smiled and let out a small laugh.

"Do you feel up to it?" asked Shaundi. Daniel smiled and placed a hand on his side. His ribs were still sore.

"Not quite, but I'm getting there." said Daniel.

He smiled at her before leaning close to kiss her. Shaundi leaned into the kiss and dropped the pregnancy test on the floor. She lay back on the bed as Daniel moved down to kiss her neck. He undid the button on her pants and pulled them down before removing her panties. He kissed her body as he made his way down to her hips. Shaundi closed her eyes and took in an unsteady breath as she felt his lips kiss between her legs. She reached down and ran her fingers through his hair as he began to tease her with his tongue. She felt the trials of the day lift away as she slowly began to lose herself in his touch.


	38. In the House of Flies

**NOTE: Things are going to start unraveling very soon as the story begins to come full circle. I hope you've enjoyed it so far! Please let me know what you think of this long action packed chapter!**

GLITCH

Chapter 38: In the House of Flies

The Saints gathered by the front door dressed and ready to head to Lestat's private party. He had told them to dress accordingly, so everyone made sure to look the part. They each had on some form of leather and Andrew had brought each of them a pair of acrylic vampire fangs to place on their teeth.

"Thanks for inviting me you guys." said Andrew as he passed them out. "I was beginning to feel like you had forgotten about me."

"We need all the help we can get in case something goes down." said The Boss as he placed the fangs on his teeth. He felt them with is tongue as the rest of the group put their fangs in.

"C'mon Daniel!" yelled The Boss down the hallway. "Hurry up!"

The sound of Daniel opening his bedroom door made everyone turn around. Shaundi watched as Daniel entered the room. It was his first day walking without crutches. He was still getting used to putting weight on his leg, but he was managing. Shaundi took a moment to look him over. He was wearing a white button up shirt with half of it left unbuttoned showing his chest. She raised her eyebrow at him as he came toward her. She bit her lip and felt her body grow hot. The way he looked was turning her on.

"I'm ready." said Daniel as he reached the group. Andrew gave him a pair of fangs and he put them in.

"Let's go." said The Boss before looking at his crew. Kinzie wasn't there. "Where's Kinzie?"

"I'm right here." said Kinzie as she walked up to them. Pierce turned around when he heard her voice and his mouth fell open.

"Damn!" said Ben looking her over.

"What?" asked Kinzie. Everyone was staring at her.

Her hair was down in long wavy locks that gently graced her shoulders. She was wearing a tight, black leather corset that accentuated her breasts and a pair of tight leather pants. Pierce continued to stare at her with his mouth hanging open and she gave him an awkward smile. He realized he'd been staring and shook his head before looking away from her.

"Are we going to leave or what?" asked Kinzie when the group continued to stare.

"Y-yeah, let's go." said The Boss before grabbing his keys. Everyone followed The Boss out of the apartment. Shaundi let Daniel go in front of her and glanced at his ass. She smiled as she followed him out. Pierce cleared his throat as Kinzie passed him to leave. She smiled at him again and he looked away from her before closing the door behind him.

xxxxxxxxx

They pulled in front of Lestat's club and got of their cars. Shaundi, Daniel, and Asha rode with Andrew in his van while the others rode with The Boss in his car. Pierce got out of the vehicle and grabbed his crotch.

"Man, how do people wear these?" asked Pierce as he pulled at his leather pants. "My junk feels like it's being rammed up the crack of my ass."

"That's a nice image." said Kinzie slightly disgusted.

"Quit whining." said Asha as they walked toward the entrance to the club.

"Hey, you're not a guy." said Pierce kicking his leg out to the side. "You don't know what goes on down there."

Shaundi was still by the car and held the door open for Daniel as he got out. His eyes followed her body as he stood up. She was wearing a black crop top that showed part of her smooth stomach. He gave her a cheeky smile and she raised her right eyebrow before smiling back. Daniel glanced down at her cleavage for a moment before they joined the others at the outside entrance. They passed several members of The Coven as they walked.

"Everyone ready?" asked The Boss when the whole group was present. They nodded and he opened the door. They were greeted with a dark, candle lit room with red curtains that cut off the entrance to the club. By the curtains stood a pale, thin host named Victor standing behind a black podium. He noticed The Saints enter and picked up his cell phone. He dialed a number and placed the phone to his ear.

"They're here." was all he said before hanging up. The Saints walked up to him and Victor gave them an evil smile.

"We're here for the party." said The Boss. "Lestat is expecting us."

"Yes, I know." said Victor. "He'll be with you shortly."

As if on cue, Lestat pushed through the curtains cane in hand. He smiled at The Saints and bowed his head.

"I'm glad you decided to come." said Lestat. "Please, follow me."

Lestat used his cane to hold the curtains open as The Saints filed into the club. The inside of the club was filled with an ominous red light and acid rock blared throughout he speakers on the walls. Several member of The Coven sat on rich couches that were scattered throughout the room. They smiled at The Saints as they passed by.

"The bar is over there." said Lestat pointing with his cane. "Drinks are on the house."

He looked over at Asha and smiled. Asha furrowed her brow confused as to why he was staring at her. He continued to smile, showing his fangs, before turning back to the group.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable." said Lestat. "If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

Lestat bowed his head. He glanced up at Asha and smiled again before turning to leave. He made his way to the back of the club and came to hallway blocked off with red velvet rope. Two guards stood watch.

"Keep and eye on them. Don't let them leave." said Lestat to one of the guards. He turned around to look at Asha again and pointed at her with his cane. "In half an hour, send her back to my room."

The guard nodded his head and lifted the rope for Lestat to pass.

"Okay, everyone spread out." said The Boss. "Enjoy yourselves, but don't let your guard down."

"No problem." said Shaundi before turning to Daniel. She ran her finger along the inside of his shirt to caress his chest before giving him a sexy smile. She looped her finger around the fabric of his shirt before pulling him toward the dance floor. A strobe light flashed to the beat of the music as she pulled him behind her. Daniel smiled at her when she wrapped her arms around his neck. She began to move her hips close to his and he placed his hands on her waist.

The Boss, Ben, and Johnny walked over to the bar.

"What can I get you?" asked the bartender.

"A round of shots." said The Boss.

"Sure thing." said the bartender. He pulled out three shot glasses and placed them on the bar.

The Boss turned around to see Kinzie walking toward the dance floor with Asha and Andrew. He followed her with his eyes and leaned back on the bar.

"Tell me something." said The Boss pointing to Kinzie. "What she that hot in the game?"

Johnny and Ben stared at her as she walked.

"I guess the real world kind of puts everything into perspective." said Johnny.

The bartender finished pouring the shots and set each one on fire. They all grabbed a shot glass. They blew the fire out and tossed them back before slamming the glasses on the bar.

Across the room Matt was making his way toward the dance floor. Two women stepped in front of him and smiled.

"Hello, ladies." said Matt nervously.

"Hi." said one woman with blonde hair. She stepped toward him and ran her hand up his arm.

Matt looked at his arm and stood completely still. He watched her out of the side of his eye as she ran her fingers up along the collar of his jacket.

"I'm Ariana." said the woman. She pointed to her friend. "This is Reeva."

Reeva had long red hair, tinted to make the color more prominent. She walked over to Matt and ran her fingers through his hair. Matt let out a nervous laugh.

"He's cute." said Reeva smiling. Ariana smiled in agreement as they continued to run their hands on his body.

"Look, ladies, I'm afraid I can't." said Matt trying to back away from them.

"Oh, his accent is sexy." said Ariana smiling at Reeva. She grabbed Matt by his shirt and pulled him toward her.

"We don't get many foreigners in here." said Reeva.

"Y-you don't?" asked Matt.

"No." said Reeva. "And just between us, I think the British are yummy."

Reeva licked her lips and leaned close to Matt. He swallowed hard as he stared at her fangs.

"Come with us." said Ariana pulling lightly on his shirt. She smiled at him as her and Reeva led to him to a private booth. They pushed him down on a richly upholstered couch and Ariana straddled his waist.

"I really should be getting back to my friends." said Matt trying to get up. Ariana pushed him down again before ripping his shirt open. Reeva smiled before grabbing his chin to turn him toward her. She pulled him in for a kiss and slid her tongue into his mouth. Ariana leaned down to kiss his neck and ran her hands along the inside of his shirt. Matt's eyes grew wide for a moment before he pushed Reeva away.

"What's wrong?" asked Reeva. "Do you not like us?"

"It's not that." said Matt nervously. Reeva leaned close to him again and smiled.

"Then what's the problem?" asked Reeva. Matt looked into her eyes before she pulled him in for another kiss. Matt gave into her and ran his hands along her back. Ariana continued to kiss him and moved down to his chest.

On the dance floor, Kinzie, Asha, and Andrew were dancing as the strobe light flashed to the music. Kinzie raised her hands in the air and moved her hips to the beat before looking up to see Pierce dancing by himself not far from her. He noticed her looking at him and looked away for a moment. She stopped dancing and stared at him. He looked up and slowly began to dance toward her. Once he met up with her he stood close and continued to dance. Kinzie stared at him and furrowed brow. She began to move her hips to the beat again and before she knew it, her and Pierce were moving together. Neither one of them said a word to each other as they danced.

Asha and Andrew danced next to them. Andrew tried to get closer to her and she pushed him away.

"I know, I know." said Andrew backing away from her. "No touching."

Asha smiled and continued to dance until one of Lestat's guards interrupted her.

"Lestat would like to see you." said the guard. Andrew stepped in front of her. The guard pushed him away. "He would like to see you ALONE."

Andrew turned to Asha.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." said Andrew. "What if something happens?"

"Since when have I not been able to take care of myself?" asked Asha. Andrew looked off in thought.

"I'll be fine." said Asha as she began to follow the guard.

Andrew turned around to get Daniel's attention. He and Shaundi were still dancing. He looked up from Shaundi and saw Andrew pointing toward Asha. He saw the guard lift the velvet rope to let her go through. Daniel and Shaundi looked at each other before signaling for The Boss. The Boss looked toward Asha. She looked back at him and gave him a reassuring nod before walking down the hallway.

The guard led her down the hallway to a red door. He opened it and let her into the room. Inside was a red couch with several candelabras surrounding it. The flames from the candles filled the room with warm light and illuminated a gold pole in the center of the room. Asha stood quietly in the room as the guard shut the door behind her. He stood watch outside as Asha waited for Lestat. She slowly stepped forward until she heard a voice in the darkness.

"Hello, Asha." said Lestat as he came toward her. His cane tapped the floor with each step. Two guards walked behind him and stopped by an end table that had a small stereo sitting on it.

"How do you know my name?" asked Asha. Lestat smiled and walked up to her. He ran his long nails along her neck as he circled around her.

"All will be revealed shortly." said Lestat as he walked to his couch.

He sat down and rested his arms on the back of the couch before smiling at her. He tilted his head toward one of his guards to turn on some music. A soft bass beat filled the room. Lestat gestured toward the pole. Asha looked at it and back at Lestat.

"I want you to dance for me." said Lestat.

"I'm sorry?" asked Asha scrunching her brow. The guards pulled out their guns and aimed them at her. Asha looked at Lestat who had pulled out a silver pistol with a silencer on it.

"I don't like repeating myself." said Lestat aiming the pistol at her. He smiled and politely gestured to the pole with his hand.

Asha slowly stepped up to the pole and wrapped her fingers around it before she slowly started to move her hips. She looked over at Lestat and saw him set his gun down next to him. She turned her attention back to the pole and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and continued to move her hips, slowly grinding them against the pole. Lestat smiled and leaned back on the couch. He watched as Asha lifted herself up before slowly spinning herself around on the pole.

"Good." said Lestat. "That's very good."

Asha stopped to look at him. He smiled at her.

"Now, take off your clothes." said Lestat. Asha turned to look at his guards. They raised their guns at her. She looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a tight leather jumpsuit. She reached up to unzip it when Lestat raised his hand.

"I didn't tell you to stop dancing." said Lestat.

Asha looked up at him for a moment and he smiled at her. She started to slowly unzip her suit as she moved her hips to the beat of the song. She pulled the zipper down to reveal her breasts and started to slowly walk toward Lestat. The guards lifted their guns again and Lestat gestured for them to stop. He watched as Asha walked sexually toward him while she pulled her arms out of her jumpsuit. The suit hung halfway off her body as she stood over him. Lestat smiled as Asha straddled his waist. She began to grind her hips against his lap as she continued to move to the beat. Lestat reached his hand up and ran his long nails against her chest and stomach. Asha continued to grind on him.

"You really are a Saint." said Lestat before pulling her down to kiss him.

She gave into the kiss and felt his fangs with her tongue while continuing to move her hips. She reached her hand out and caressed his arm. She followed it down to the couch where his hand was resting next to his gun. She quickly grabbed it before pulling away from him. She twisted around and shot both of his guards in the head before they had time to react. She turned back to Lestat and placed the gun against his temple.

"How do you know my name?" asked Asha angrily. "Tell me!"

Lestat smiled at her before pushing her off of him. He twirled his long jacket causing the candles to blow out leaving the room completely dark. Asha stumbled around in the darkness until she found a light switch. She flicked it on and looked around the room. Lestat was gone. Asha began to slip her arms back into her jumpsuit when the door to the room burst open. Two guards stood in the doorway. They saw Asha standing in the room with a gun and two dead bodies before raising their guns to shoot her. She took cover behind a dead guard as bullets whizzed past.

The Boss heard the gunfire echo throughout the club. He turned to Johnny and Ben.

"Looks like the party's over." said The Boss before turning to a member of The Coven. He grabbed them by the shirt and slammed their head on the bar before reaching for his gun. Gunfire blared throughout the club as members of The Coven opened fire on The Saints.

Matt was still in the private booth with Ariana and Reeva. He pulled away from them when he heard the gunfire. He stared at them both before Ariana gave him an evil smile. She pulled out a knife from inside her boot and went to slice Matt's throat when Pierce came up behind her. He pulled her off of Matt and slammed her against the wall. Reeva stood up and landed a punch on Pierce's face before Matt knocked her out with a blow to the head. He and Pierce both reached for their guns and cocked them back.

"Sorry to ruin your chance of finally getting laid, man." said Pierce before they went to join the rest of the crew.

Shaundi and Daniel were taking cover behind an overturned couch. They came out from behind the couch to provide cover fire for The Boss who was doing a run and gun across the room. Andrew ran up behind them and ducked behind the couch.

"Have you two seen Asha?" asked Andrew.

A loud crash filled the room and Andrew peeked over the couch to see Asha on top of a guard landing punches to his face.

"Nevermind." said Andrew ducking behind the couch again.

The Saints continued to fire upon The Coven until only a few were left standing. The last of The Coven, realizing they couldn't beat them, dropped their guns and bolted for the exit. The Boss saw one of them come out from behind the bar trying to make an escape.

"Grab him!" yelled The Boss. Ben grabbed the guy by the collar of his shirt and dragged him over to The Boss.

"Please, don't kill me!" screamed the guy. He was very young barely out of high school.

"Where's Lestat?" asked The Boss placing a gun to his head.

"I-I don't know!" he said. "Please, let me go! I didn't want anything to do with this!"

"How did he know who we are?" asked Asha. "How did he know my name?"

"S-s-some British guy hired us to kill you." he told her. "He-he told us."

"What's his name?" asked The Boss.

"I don't know." he said. "He lives in some abandoned building across town. I'll give you the address if you just let me go!"

Johnny grabbed a napkin and a pen from the bar and gave it to the young man. He furiously wrote the address on the napkin and gave it to The Boss. He looked at the address and continued to aim his gun at the young man's head.

"Please, I've told you all I know!" he said. "Let me go!"

Shaundi stepped forward and placed her hand on The Boss' gun to lower it. He turned to look at her.

"Boss, let him go." said Shaundi softly. "He's just a kid."

The Boss looked back at the young man and lowered his gun.

"Get the fuck out of here." said The Boss. Ben let the young man go and he ran for the door.

The Boss turned to look at his crew. He clenched his fists together and tightened his jaw.

"That's it." said The Boss. "I've had about all I can take from this asshole."

He sternly looked at each one of them.

"I'm done playing around." said The Boss. "Grab your shit and let's go. It's time to get this fucker."


	39. Take Me Home

**NOTE: I kind of drop a bombshell in this chapter. If you have any questions or inquiries, feel free to PM me. I WILL get back with you. Other than that, enjoy the chapter!**

GLITCH

Chapter 39: Take Me Home

The Saints crepted through the hallways of the old abandoned building belonging to The Man. They kept their guns at the ready, prepared to shoot at whoever came their way.

"First floor is clear." whispered Kinzie after they checked downstairs.

The group looked up when they heard a small thump come from upstairs. The Boss motioned for the group to follow him as he started walking up a long staircase. Daniel followed the group up and winced with each step he took. His leg was still sore. Shaundi was in front of him and turned around to give him a concerned look.

"I'm okay." mouthed Daniel as they continued to make their way up the steps.

They came to a long hallway with tall double doors at the end of it. A warm light poured out into the hallway from underneath the doors. They quietly made their way to the doors and took cover against the wall. The Boss quietly cocked his gun back and exchanged looks with each of his crew. He turned back to the door and clenched his jaw before kicking it in. The Saints ran into the room and aimed their guns at a dark figure sitting at a desk. Light from a fireplace cascaded a soft light on the figure, but not enough for them to make out his face.

"I was wondering when you would finally find me." said The Man. "It took you long enough."

"Prepare to die, asshole." said The Boss with his gun aimed at The Man's head.

"I was hoping we could talk first." said The Man. "I haven't seen you all in so long. It would be nice to catch up."

"What?" asked The Boss confused. A door opened on the other side of the room and in walked Vi. The group stared at her with their mouths agape as she walked toward them.

"Holy shit." said Pierce as he stared at her.

"You remember Viola." said The Man. The Boss stared at her for a moment in surprise of what he was seeing.

"How is that possible?" asked The Boss with the gun still aimed at The Man.

"Did you think you were the first to ever glitch out of their game?" asked The Man. "Viola and I have been out of our's for three years."

The Boss scrunched his brow and tried to focus on The Man's face. Half of it was covered in shadow.

"Who are you?" asked The Boss.

"You can call me Knightley." said The Man. "But, you might know me better as The Protagonist from Saints Row: The Third."

Knightley stood up from his chair and walked around to the front of the desk. The Boss and his crew watched in surprise as the light from the fireplace illuminated his face. He looked gaunt and had dark circles under his eyes. He leaned on his desk as he walked toward them.

"I understand if you don't recognize me." said Knightley. "I don't necessarily look my best at the moment."

"But...how?" asked The Boss. Knightley smiled before letting out a small cough.

"Viola and I were in the middle of kidnapping Josh Birk when we glitched out of our game." said Knightley. "The kid who was playing it got so freaked out that he began screaming at the top of his lungs. His parents ran into his room and saw us standing over him with guns in our hands. He was only 12 years old. His mother started calling the cops. Viola and I didn't know what was going on and got the hell out of there."

Viola walked up to Knightley and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"When we realized what had happened, we tried to go back and see if there was some way for us to get back into the game." said Viola. "The boy's house had burnt down. Everything inside was destroyed."

"We've been on our own ever since." said Knightley. "We kept ourselves afloat doing underground business deals. We stayed off the radar, something you chose not to do. It made it a lot easier to find you."

"Wait, wait, hold up a minute." said Andrew putting his hands up in the air. "Are you telling me that this whole time, I've been hanging out with video game characters?!"

They group stared at Andrew.

"I mean, I know I've smoked a lot of dope." said Andrew. "But this is dope."

The Boss shook his head and ignored Andrew.

"So, you've been sending people to kill us?" asked The Boss. "Why?"

"I made a deal with a good friend of yours." said Knightley feeling a tickle in his chest. "He told me that if I got rid of you, he'd find a way to back into the game."

Knightley began to cough and grabbed his handkerchief. Blood spurted onto the cloth and he doubled over in pain. Viola held onto him and kept him from losing his balance before turning to the group.

"If he doesn't get back into the game he's going to die." said Viola with worry in her voice.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Shaundi noticing Viola's tone. The group lowered their guns and stared at Knightley as he continued to cough violently into the handkerchief. He calmed down slightly and regained his composure.

"Being real comes with its disadvantages." said Knightley. "Cancer, being one of them."

"Cancer?" asked Pierce. "Don't they have treatments for that?"

"The treatments are worse than the actual disease." said Knightley in anger. "Besides, the cancer is far too advanced, they wouldn't work."

"You have to at least try." said Asha.

"I have." said Knightley softly. "I only have a few months left. I have to get back into the game."

"You've been trying to kill us all because you're afraid of dying?" asked The Boss.

"Have you ever actually seen death?!" screamed Knightley. "I know you've killed a lot of people, but have you ever actually seen death up close?! The fear and pain a person feels just before the life leaves them?!"

Shaundi closed her eyes and took a deep breath at his words. She remembered the boy who had begged for her help just before he died. Daniel looked over at her and gently grabbed her hand. Shaundi opened her eyes and looked at him and they locked eyes. Viola watched them from across the room before turning to Knightley.

"I'm tired of the pain!" yelled Knightley. "I'm tired of the fear! I can't take it a day longer! I don't want to die!"

He began gasping for air and fell before catching himself on his desk. Viola tried to help him when he protested.

"I'm fine." said Knightley trying to push her away. She ignored him and tried to help him up.

"I said I'm fine!" yelled Knightley furiously pushing her away from him. Viola stood back and watched in worry as he tried to lift himself up. He regained his balance before turning to The Boss.

"I'm sorry." said Knightley softly. "I don't have a choice."

The Boss felt a cold blade against his throat. He turned his head slightly to see Lestat smiling at him. He had his sword tight against The Boss' neck.

"You dick." said The Boss looking back at Knightley. Several members of The Coven came running into the room and aimed their guns at The Saints.

"How could you do this to us?" asked Kinzie as a member of The Coven aimed a gun at her head.

"I'm sorry." said Knightley looking away from them.

"Viola? Do something." said The Boss. Viola backed away and felt herself get misty eyed.

"I can't." choked Viola. "I'm sorry."

Lestat pushed the blade of his sword even closer to The Boss' neck.

"Drop your guns." said Lestat. The Saints let go of their guns and they fell to the floor. Lestat smiled and went to slice The Boss' throat when a whirlwind of red circles filled the room. Zinyak entered the room and stood by the fireplace. He looked at The Saints.

"I see you finally pulled through." said Zinyak smiling.

"Yes." said Knightley leaning on his desk. "Now what about your end of the bargain?"

"I did as you asked. I found a way to get back into the game." said Zinyak.

"So, when can we go home?" asked Knightley glancing at Viola.

"Who said anything about you going home?" asked Zinyak. Knightley scrunched his brow.

"We had a deal." said Knightley. "You said that if I got rid of The Saints, that you'd find a way to get back into the game."

"You're right." said Zinyak. "However, what you failed to realize, was that when I said to get rid of The Saints, I meant all of The Saints...including YOU."

Knightley's eyes grew wide as Zinyak raised a gun at him. The Boss looked at Lestat who was watching Zinyak from across the room. He took the distraction as an oppurtunity to push Lestat away from him. Lestat fell back into a table and The Boss rolled across the floor, picking up his gun in the process. He lifted his gun and fired several shots at Zinyak. He absorbed the bullets. They didn't faze him. The rest of the group took The Boss' actions as a signal and ducked as The Coven opened fire on them. The group grabbed their guns before turning around to fire back and shot the rest of The Coven down. They proceeded to turn their attention to Zinyak and began peppering him with bullets. Zinyak grew angry and disappeared in a culmination of red circles. The group looked around the room at the dead bodies of The Coven. The Boss walked over to the desk and saw Knightley cowering behind it. The Boss stared down at him for a moment before reaching out his hand.

"Come on." said The Boss motioning for Knightley to grab it. The Boss helped him up and Viola ran over to him. She placed a hand on Knightley's cheek before he pulled her in for a hug. The Boss stared at the two of them confused at their displays of affection.

"Would someone mind telling me what the hell just happened?" asked Andrew.

"We'll explain it to you later, man." said Pierce.

"Whatever, anyone want to join me in a little puff?" asked Andrew as he pulled a joint out of his pocket. He lit it and inhaled a long puff before blowing a cloud of smoke from his mouth.

Asha looked over at him and smiled. Andrew smiled back at her before he noticed her expression change.

"What?" asked Andrew. Asha's eyes grew wide.

"Andrew!" yelled Asha as she began to run toward him.

Andrew tilted his head in confusion before he felt a sharp pain in his chest. A spurt of blood left his mouth before he looked down. A long silver blade was sticking out of his chest. Andrew turned his head to see Lestat smiling at him. Lestat pulled the sword out of him before stabbing him again. This time the blade punctured through to his stomach. Andrew scrunched his face and coughed up blood again before Lestat pulled the blade out of him. Andrew fell to the floor gripping his stomach as blood poured through his fingers.

Asha stared at Andrew and saw Daniel run up to him. She grew angry and clenched her fists before looking up at Lestat. Lestat stared at her and smiled. Asha let out an angry scream before running toward him. He took his sword and sliced it across her cheek. It didn't phase her. She grabbed his wrist and twisted around him. She gripped his wrist tightly and pulled his hand toward his throat. Lestat fought her, but she was too strong. She used his hand to place his sword to his throat and drug the blade along his skin. Blood sprayed from his throat before Lestat fell to the floor. Asha stood over his body, breathing heavily in anger before running over to Andrew. He was laying on the floor gripping Daniel's hand as blood pooled under his body.

"I'm dying man." said Andrew as blood spilled from his mouth again.

"No, man." said Daniel fighting back tears. He held on tightly to his hand. "You're going to be okay."

Asha came up and knelt down next to him.

"Andrew?" asked Asha. Andrew turned his head to look at her.

"Asha." said Andrew. He lifted a bloody hand to touch her cut cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." said Asha grabbing his hand. "Don't worry about me."

"Never." said Andrew. He coughed again and tightened his grip on her hand before looking up at her. "It's too bad we never got together. It could've been good."

Asha smiled as a tear fell down her cheek. She placed a hand on his forehead and brushed hair away from his face.

"Seeing as how I'm dying." said Andrew. "Do you think I could get a kiss?"

"You're not dying." said Asha as another tear fell down her cheek.

"Please?" asked Andrew.

Asha smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead. She placed her hand on his cheek and felt her lips begin to quiver against his skin as tears began to pour from her eyes.

"No lips huh?" asked Andrew as he coughed up blood again. "I understand."

Asha leaned down again and gently moved her thumb along his mouth to wipe the blood from his lips. She gave him a soft kiss and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Wow." said Andrew as she pulled away from him. She looked down and felt his grip loosen on her hand.

"Andrew?" asked Asha shaking his hand. He didn't respond. She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek.

"Andrew?" she asked again looking into his eyes. They were lifeless. She felt more tears well up in her eyes before she leaned down to place her head on his chest. She began to cry uncontrollably and wrapped his limp body in her arms. Daniel sat on his knees and watched as she held him. Shaundi walked up behind him and placed a loving hand on his shoulder.

Daniel stood up and looked at her. His eyes were red as he held back tears, but Shaundi saw something else that she had never seen in them before. Intense anger. Daniel turned to look at Knightley and clenched his fists.

"This is all your fault, you son of a bitch!" screamed Daniel as he furiously stomped toward him. He lifted his pistol and aimed it at Knightley's head.

"No!" yelled Viola before jumping between them. "Please, don't hurt him!"

Daniel stared at her with anger in his eyes.

"Get out of the way." said Daniel.

"No." said Viola sternly. Daniel tightened his jaw and looked past her. He saw Knightley trying hard to stay standing. His eyes were tired and he began to cough uncontrollably into his handkerchief again. Daniel lowered his gun before turning back to look at Andrew. Asha was still holding on to him, crying hard into his body. Daniel glanced at Shaundi. She was extremely concerned. He looked away from her and walked over to The Boss.

"Give me the keys to your car." said Daniel reaching out his hand. The Boss hesitated.

"Give me the fucking keys!" yelled Daniel. The Boss reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys to his car. Daniel ripped them from his hands before storming out of the office. Shaundi followed him out.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi. "Where are you going?"

Daniel didn't answer her. He gripped his leg as he walked down the stairs and walked out of the building.

"Daniel?!" yelled Shaundi as he climbed into The Boss' car. Shaundi heard the engine turn over before Daniel peeled away leaving her alone on the sidewalk.


	40. Tears In My Heart

**NOTE: After all the long chapters I've been posting lately, here's a short fluff-like chapter. Enjoy! Let me Know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 40: Tears In My Heart

A yellow taxi pulled up in front of Daniel's old house. The Boss' car was parked in the driveway.

"Is this the place?" asked the driver. He looked in the rearview mirror to see Shaundi looking out of the car window.

"Yes." said Shaundi. She paid the driver and got out of the car.

She had just come from the apartment. When her and The Saints had returned, Daniel was nowhere to be found. She had tried his cell phone and it went straight to voicemail. She called his parents and they hadn't heard from him. His house was the only place she could think of that he would be. She walked up the sidewalk to the front door. Shaundi slowly opened it and stepped inside.

"Daniel?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen. No one answered her. She looked around. The house was completely dark. The only light she could see came from under Daniel's basement door. She walked slowly to the door and gently opened it before walking down the stairwell.

When she reached the basement she looked and saw Daniel sitting against the wall with his arms crossed on his knees.

"There you are." said Shaundi softly. Daniel looked up at the sound of her voice.

"How did you know I'd be here?" asked Daniel. Shaundi walked across the room and sat down next to him.

"Lucky guess." said Shaundi smiling softly at him. He looked away from her and closed his eyes.

"The console is gone." said Daniel. "Zinyak must have taken it."

Daniel let out a breath and leaned his head against the wall. Shaundi looked at the spot where the console had fallen after Daniel had thrown it against the wall several months earlier.

"He's going to bring back an entire army of Zin and who knows what else." said Daniel. "There's no way we can stop him this time."

Shaundi looked at Daniel and placed a hand on his arm. He closed his eyes.

"I can't help thinking that all of this is my fault." said Daniel softly. "All the people who have died...even Andrew. It's all my fault."

Daniel opened his eyes and looked at his hands. Andrew's blood stained his skin. Shaundi gently grabbed Daniel's chin and turned him to face her.

"NONE of this is your fault." said Shaundi looking into his eyes. "You didn't ask for this to happen."

Daniel looked away from her and closed his eyes again. He fought the lump forming in his throat and placed his head in his hands. Shaundi softly ran her fingers through his hair as he sat quietly beside her. He cleared his throat and looked over at her. She gave him a reassuring smile, but could tell he was suffering. She placed a hand on his cheek and he reached up to grab it. He forced a smile as he looked at her.

"I'm...going to go take a shower." said Daniel before he stood up to leave. Shaundi sat on the floor and watched him limp across the room. She placed a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes for a moment before standing up. Daniel was already upstairs. She looked around at his basement and saw the bionic arm Pierce had broken. She walked over to it and ran her fingers along the length of arm causing lines in the dust that had collected on it. She wiped the dust on her clothes and took a deep breath before walking up the steps.

Shaundi could hear the water running in the bathroom as she walked down the hallway. She lifted her shirt over her head as she walked and let it gently let it fall to the floor. She continued to take off her clothes as she neared the bathroom. She stepped out of her panties and removed her bra in the final steps before reaching the door. She reached for the doorknob and hoped that it was unlocked. She breathed a sigh of relief when the knob turned and she quietly opened the door. The room was filled with a heavy steam from the hot water coming from the shower. She could see Daniel's shadow behind the shower curtain through the thick mist. She gently pulled the curtain back and stepped into the shower.

Daniel was leaning against the shower wall with his arm letting the hot water hit his body. He heard the curtain and turned around to see Shaundi's naked form in front of him. She reached out a hand and softly touched his face. He leaned into her touch. She caressed his cheek and looked at him with soft eyes, telling him that everything would be okay. He reached his hand up and placed it ontop of hers. He looked longingly into her eyes before pulling her in for a hard kiss. His hands explored her body with an urgent need. He pushed her against the shower wall and began to kiss her neck. Shaundi closed her eyes and let out a soft moan as he reached a hand up to cup her breast. Daniel felt her hands run gently down his back to grip his ass and he pushed his hips into hers. Shaundi could feel his erection against her thigh. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes again before slamming his lips ontop of hers. They explored each others mouths and Shaundi couldn't believe how much she wanted him. It had been ages since they were able to be together in this way. Daniel continued to kiss her passionately and left her lips to kiss her neck again. She ran her fingers through his wet hair and let out a moan.

"Daniel." she said softly. Daniel stopped kissing her and Shaundi felt his head rest on her neck. His body began to shake and he let out low sobs into her ear. He was crying.

He wrapped his arms around her before falling to the shower floor sobbing uncontrollably. Shaundi held onto him and slowly fell with him. She placed her hand on his head as he cried into her chest. She kissed the top of his head and felt her heart sink. She hated seeing him so upset. She wished she could reach inside him and pull out all the hurt and anguish he was feeling and put it all on her. It was in that moment, she realized something that she'd been feeling for a long time, but never had the courage to say.

"I love you." said Shaundi holding him tightly in her arms.

She felt his arms wrap tighter around her as his sobbing grew more intense. Shaundi closed her eyes and rested her cheek on his head. She held him, letting him break free of his emotions, as they sat in each other's embrace on the shower floor.


	41. Doctor Kensington

GLITCH

Chapter 41: Doctor Kensington

Matt walked down the hallway toward Asha's bedroom carrying a plate of scrambled eggs and a glass of milk. He reached her door and knocked on it.

"Asha?" asked Matt. "It's Matt, can you let me in?"

Asha was still in bed. She was laying on her side with her back to the door. She took a deep breath before answering him.

"Go away." said Asha quietly, but loud enough for Matt to hear her.

"I brought you some breakfast." said Matt.

"I'm not hungry." said Asha. Matt looked down at the food in his hands.

"Asha, you haven't had anything to eat since yesterday." said Matt. "I know you're upset, we all are, but you have to eat something."

"I said I'm not hungry." said Asha. She could feel tears forming in her eyes.

"Asha..." said Matt.

"Go away, Matt." said Asha quietly. She wiped her eyes and placed her hands between her head and the pillow.

"Okay, I'll leave your food by the door in case you change your mind." said Matt as he placed her plate on the floor. "I'm here if you need anything."

Matt stood quietly by the door for a moment before turning to walk down the hall toward the kitchen. He entered the room to see Kinzie, Pierce, Ben, and Johnny gathered around the kitchen table.

"I'm worried about Asha." said Matt. The group turned to look at him. "She won't come out of her room."

"She'll be okay." said Ben.

"Yeah, she's a tough girl." said Pierce. "She'll be all right. "

"Just give her a little time." said Johnny.

"I don't know." said Matt. "I've never seen her like this before."

"Maybe, she cared more about Andrew than she realized." said Kinzie.

Matt sighed and looked toward the hallway. He saw The Boss walk by with a six-pack of beer. He was still wearing the clothes he had on the day before. Matt exchanged looks with the others before leaving the room. The others followed him out. They walked into the living room to see The Boss watching television. He popped the top off a bottle of beer and took a long drink before changing the channel. The group gathered in front of the television blocking his view.

"You mind getting out-of-the-way?" asked The Boss.

"What are you doing?" asked Johnny. The Boss looked down at his beer and back up at Johnny.

"I'm having a few beers." said The Boss. "You want one?"

"Fuck no." said Johnny. "You do realize that this group is falling a part right? Andrew is dead, Asha is a wreck, and no one has heard from Shaundi or Daniel. Neither one of them came home last night. Not to mention that we have a lot of shit heading our way with Zinyak."

"Yeah, well what can I do about it?" asked The Boss before taking a drink.

"Get off your ass and help us figure out a way to fix it." said Johnny.

"Why should we be the ones to fix it?" asked The Boss as he stood up from the couch. "We didn't ask for this shit!"

"You're right." said Johnny. "We didn't, but it happened and we're the only ones who can do anything about it."

"How?!" asked The Boss. "We could barely defeat the asshole last time! I hate to say it, but WE'RE FUCKED!"

The Boss raised his beer.

"Cheers everyone, it's been fun!" said The Boss before putting the bottle to his lips. Johnny smacked it out of his hands sending the bottle flying across the room. It smashed into tiny pieces against the wall.

"When did you become such a pussy?" asked Johnny. The Boss looked up at Johnny's words.

"What did you call me?" asked The Boss glaring at him.

"You heard me." said Johnny getting close to The Boss's face.

The Boss clenched his jaw before raising his fist and slamming on Johnny's face. Ben ran up behind The Boss to hold him back from hitting Johnny again. Pierce did the same with Johnny. The Boss pushed Ben off of him. He glared at Johnny again before grabbing the rest of his six-pack. He pulled a bottle of beer out and popped the top off. He took a long drink before walking down the hallway toward his room. Pierce let go of Johnny as Kinzie left the room. Johnny let out a frustrated groan before walking outside to the balcony. Pierce turned to see Kinzie come into the room with a towel. She knelt by the broken beer bottle and wiped up a puddle of beer. She began to put the bigger shards of broken glass inside the towel. Pierce walked over and knelt beside her. He helped her pick up the pieces.

"I got it." said Kinzie. "I don't need your help."

"I know you don't." said Pierce.

He continued to help her clean up the mess when a shard of glass stuck into his hand. Drops of blood fell on the floor.

"Fuck!" said Pierce grabbing his hand. Kinzie rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Come on." said Kinzie pulling him by the sleeve of his shirt. She pulled him down the hallway and into the kitchen. She opened a drawer by the sink and pulled out a hand towel. She placed it on the palm of his hand against the cut.

"Hold it there. Put pressure on it." said Kinzie before leaving the room. She walked down the hallway to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. She grabbed a few items and walked back into the kitchen. Pierce was still holding the towel on his hand. Kinzie walked over to him and removed the towel to look at the cut.

"It's not too deep. You shouldn't need any stitches." said Kinzie before turning on the water.

She let it get really cold before grabbing his hand and placing under the running water. Kinzie held it there for a few minutes before pulling his hand out. Pierce watched her quietly. Kinzie examined his hand again. She saw a small shard of glass sticking out of the cut. She grabbed a pair of tweezers and started to pick it out until Pierce pulled his hand back.

"What the fuck? That hurt." said Pierce holding his hand away from her.

"I need to get the glass out before I can bandage it." said Kinzie.

"Fuck that." said Pierce. Kinzie rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand again.

"Quit being a baby." said Kinzie holding his hand. She took the tweezers and pulled the glass out of his hand causing Pierce to flinch a little.

"See? That wasn't so bad." said Kinzie placing the piece of glass on a paper towel. Pierce stared at her as she grabbed some antibiotic ointment. She began to place a small amount to the cut before placing the gauze over it.

"How do you know what you're doing?" asked Pierce. Kinzie shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't sleep much." said Kinzie as she wrapped a bandage around his hand. "One night I was browsing the internet and came across a site called WebMD. It lists symptoms and treatments for different illness and injuries. I wound up reading a majority of the articles there."

"Oh." said Pierce. He stared at her as she continued to wrap his hand. A small amount of hair hung in her face. Kinzie blew it away before looking up at him. They locked eyes for a moment before Kinzie cleared her throat and broke their gaze.

"All done." said Kinzie giving him an awkward smile. She packed up the items she brought from the bathroom and turned to leave.

"Wait." said Pierce. Kinzie turned around to look at him.

"What?" asked Kinzie.

"What..." Pierce drifted off and Kinzie gave him a confused look waiting for him to continue. "What...if it gets infected?"

"Then call a nurse." said Kinzie before turning to leave again. Pierce reached out his bandaged hand to grab hers. Kinzie stopped and stared at their hands.

"What if I don't want a nurse?" asked Pierce. Kinzie looked up at him and they locked eyes again. She felt him tug on her hand, but hesitate to move toward him.

"Come here, gurl." said Pierce tugging again on her hand.

Kinzie slowly stepped toward him unsure of what was happening. She drew closer to him until their bodies touched. Pierce began to lean down to her lips. Kinzie stared at him and her eyes grew wide when their mouths met. She let out a small moan before closing her eyes and leaning into the kiss. Pierce pulled away from her, cutting the kiss short, to see Kinzie in front of him. Her eyes were still closed. She opened them and looked into Pierce's eyes. This time, she leaned toward him and closed her eyes again before slamming her lips onto his. She parted her lips slightly when she felt Pierce's tongue tease her mouth. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth and she reciprocated. Pierce leaned back against the counter and placed his hand on the small of her back. Kinzie gripped his face with her hands as their kiss grew more intense. The kiss seemed more than just lust. It was as if they were unleashing their inner most emotions onto each other. Neither one of them could explain what they were feeling and they didn't care. In that moment, they forgot about everything that had happened in the past few days and found comfort in each other.


	42. Penny For Your Thoughts

**NOTE: This a bit of a short chapter, but I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 42: Penny For Your Thoughts

It was morning. Shaundi lay next to Daniel in his bed. They were still at his house. Neither one of them slept much the night before. After their moment in the shower, her and Daniel spent the night making love. It was slow, passionate, and comforting. Shaundi was considerate to Daniel's needs, letting him escape the perils of losing someone he was close to. In doing so, she found something in herself that she never knew was inside her. An immense love. She had finally told Daniel that she loved him and she'd told him the truth. It was in the moments after that, however, she realized just how much she loved him. It was a feeling that was foreign to her, but she cherished it. Of all the emotions she'd encountered since entering the real world, her love for Daniel was the most powerful.

Shaundi felt Daniel's arm wrap around her and pull her close. She gently lay her head on his shoulder as he caressed her bare skin. She heard the sound of a car pass by outside and could hear the happy screams of children playing next door. Shaundi placed her hand on his chest and gently brushed his scar. He reached up and lightly squeezed her hand before entwining his fingers with hers. He took a deep breath and Shaundi watched his chest rise and fall. He continued to caress her side before letting out a thoughtful sigh.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Shaundi rubbing his hand with her thumb. Daniel looked thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"I'm thinking about when I first heard your voice the day you came here." said Daniel. "I mean, I'd heard it before of course, but that day was different."

Shaundi looked up at him as he continued to talk.

"I heard you speak and I looked up at you." said Daniel. "I just couldn't help staring. You were so beautiful."

Shaundi smiled and moved closer to him. He wrapped his arm tighter around her and continued to look up at the ceiling.

"I want you know that, no matter what happens from here on, I'm glad I finally got to meet you." said Daniel softly.

Shaundi smiled again and leaned up to kiss his neck. Daniel turned to look at her and pulled her lips up to meet his. She slowly opened her mouth to let him inside and they softly massaged each other's tongues. They pulled away after a moment and Shaund placed one last soft kiss on his lips before laying her head on his chest. Daniel could feel Shaundi's heartbeat against him. He loved the smooth rhythm it had. They lay in each other's embrace in complete silence. It was a nice moment, but each of them had the impending danger of Zinyak in the back of their mind. Daniel could sense that Shaundi was thinking about something by the way she was biting her lip.

"Now, what are you thinking about?" asked Daniel looking down at her.

"I was just wondering." said Shaundi. "How exactly did we defeat Zinyak in the game?"

"Well, you found a way onto his ship and The Boss put on..." Daniel's words drifted off and he sat up causing Shaundi to the same.

"What?" asked Shaundi. She pulled the sheet up to cover her bare breasts.

"That's it." said Daniel looking up at her.

"What is?" asked Shaundi scrunching her brow. Daniel jumped out of bed and put on his boxers. He turned back to Shaundi and gripped her face before pulling her in for a short fast kiss.

"I love you." he said happily before walking out of the room.

Shaundi smiled, but was confused by his excitement. She got out of bed and put on one of Daniel's t-shirts before walking out of the room. She walked down the hall to the kitchen to hear rustling coming from the basement. She walked downstairs to see Daniel pushing several tools and dusty computer towers off of his work bench. They scattered on the floor. She watched as Daniel grabbed a long piece of paper and a pencil before starting to furiously sketch on it.

"Daniel?" asked Shaundi. "You mind telling me what it is you're doing?"

"Zinyak is going to bring back an army of Zin and who knows what else." said Daniel as he vigorously moved his pencil on the paper. "If we had weapons from the game it would be a lot easier to defeat him."

"But...we don't have weapons from the game." said Shaundi. Daniel smiled as he continued to sketch.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't build one." said Daniel.

"What are you going to build? A dubstep gun?" joked Shaundi.

Daniel smiled as he continued his sketch. Shaundi stared at him as he finished. He looked up at her and smiled before turning the paper around for her to look at. She examined it before looking up at him.

"You can build this?" asked Shaundi. Daniel nodded before walking around to her side of the work bench.

"Daniel, this is amazing." said Shaundi as he put his arm around her. He pulled her close to him and kissed her hair.

"Thank you for the idea." said Daniel. Shaundi smiled. They both looked back at the sketch and felt a glimmer of hope overwhelm them. Now, all they had to do was run the idea by the others. If Daniel was going to build it in time to fight Zinyak, he was going to need some help.


	43. No Longer A Game

**NOTE: Please, let me know what you think of this chapter. I know things have been a bit intense (emotionally) lately and that's going to continue for a another chapter or two. I'm trying to set up something pretty big and it's taking a little longer than anticipated. I hope you like it!**

GLITCH

Chapter 43: No Longer A Game

"Asha?" asked Matt outside of her bedroom door.

"How many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone?" asked Asha from inside the room.

"I brought you some lunch." said Matt. He heard heavy footsteps from inside. They grew louder until he heard the doorknob turn. The door opened and Asha stood in front of him. He could see tears in her eyes but could tell she was trying hard to hide them. She grabbed a plate of food from his hands.

"Thank you." she said aggravated and slammed the door in his face.

Matt cleared his throat before walking down the hallway toward the living room. He saw the others gathered on the couch sitting quietly. The silence was broken as the doors to the apartment burst open. They turned to see Shaundi and Daniel rush inside.

"Where the hell have you two been?" asked Johnny standing up from the couch. He watched as Daniel walked to the coffee table carrying a rolled up piece of paper.

"Coming up with a plan." said Daniel. He looked up at Johnny to see a large bruise on his cheek. "What happened to you?"

Johnny turned his head toward the hallway and looked away in anger after he saw The Boss enter the room. The group turned to The Boss and saw him put a beer bottle to his lips.

"Nice of you to join us." said The Boss motioning to Shaundi and Daniel. He smiled and took a drink of beer. "Some heavy shit has been happening since you've been gone."

"What the hell is the matter with you?" asked Shaundi furrowing her brow. She watched as The Boss stumbled toward them. He smiled at Shaundi and leaned in close to her. She waved her hand in front of her face to fan away the smell of his breath.

"I'm finally accepting reality." said The Boss raising his beer in the air. "Here, the shit just keeps comin'. There's no stopping it. Might as well just let it happen."

"Since when do you back out of a fight?" asked Daniel. The Boss turned to look at him.

"Since I realized that you can never get rid of the shit. You take out one guy and another just pops right up in his place." said The Boss. He pointed to the floor." Here, the good guys don't win...but then again, I guess we were never really the good guys to begin with were we?"

The Boss chugged the rest of his beer before tossing the empty bottle on the couch barely missing Johnny and Ben.

"Well, Daniel may have found a way to change that." said Shaundi. The Boss started laughing.

"What, is he going to talk Zinyak down? Is he going to set more things on fire?" asked The Boss sarcastically. "Cause that really seemed to work well last time."

"It got rid of the guy didn't it?" asked Johnny.

"But it didn't kill him." said The Boss turning to look at Johnny.

"No, but this will." said Daniel. He cleared off the coffee table and rolled out the sketch. The Boss walked over to look at it.

"What is that? A robot?" asked The Boss looking down at the sketch.

"No, body armor." said Daniel placing his finger on the coffee table. "This is going to make you as strong and as fast as Zinyak. This is how we're going to take him down."

"You can build that?" asked Ben. Daniel nodded.

"Yeah, but I'm going to need some help." said Daniel looking over at Matt and Kinzie. They looked at each other before turning back to Daniel.

"We'll help you." said Matt.

"We're also going to need a lot more cash in order to afford the equipment we need to build this." said Daniel. "We have a bit in the bank, but it's not going to be enough."

"How much do you need?" asked a voice behind them. They turned to see Knightley and Viola standing in the doorway of the apartment. The Boss stepped forward.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he asked. Knightley took an unsteady step forward. Viola held onto his arm to help keep him up.

"I came to ask for your forgiveness." said Knightley in a raspy voice. "I know there's no way I can make up to for what I did, but I'd like to try."

The group stared quietly at him.

"I'd like to start by paying for Andrew's funeral." said Knightley looking at Daniel.

Daniel looked away from him and looked down at the floor.

"I'd also like to pay for any expenses in your efforts to defeat Zinyak." said Knightley. "Money is of no consequence."

"Why?" asked Daniel looking up at him. "Why have you decided to help us now?"

Knightley grabbed his handkerchief and coughed into it before looking at The Boss.

"You were right." said Knightley staring at him. "I am afraid of death and I let my fear cloud my judgement."

Knightley coughed again and a spurt of blood covered the handkerchief. He lost his footing and Viola let him put his weight on her. He wiped the blood from his mouth before looking back at the group.

"If I'm going to die, I'd at least like the chance to do something good before it happens." said Knightley. The group turned to look at The Boss for conformation. He stared at them before letting out a breath.

"Whatever, you guys do what you want." said The Boss before turning to walk down the hallway. Shaundi watched him leave with worrisome eyes. This wasn't The Boss she knew. She heard the door to his bedroom close before looking at Daniel. He gave her a reassuring nod and she turned to walk down the hallway. She reached The Boss' bedroom and knocked on the door. The Boss opened it and stared at her while he popped the cap off a new bottle of beer.

"I need to talk to you." said Shaundi. The Boss moved aside to let her in. Shaundi stepped inside and saw several empty beer bottles scattered around the room. The Boss took a drink and shut the door.

"What do you want to talk about?" asked The Boss. Shaundi turned to look at him.

"I want to talk about what that was in there." she said pointing toward the living room. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine." said The Boss. "Besides, what do you care anyway?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Shaundi crossing her arms. The Boss stared at her.

"Where the hell have you been, Shaundi?" asked The Boss. Shaundi furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" asked Shaundi.

"I'm talking about you and Daniel." said The Boss. "Ever since you two got together, you spend every waking moment with him. It's like you're not even part of the group anymore."

"That is not true." said Shaundi getting defensive.

"Isn't it?" asked The Boss getting close to her. "This is the most we've spoken in I don't know how long. What? You finally find a guy who can make you squeal and you stop caring about the rest of us?"

A loud *SLAP* filled the room as Shaundi struck him with her hand. She glared at him with angry eyes and tightened her jaw. A large red mark began to form on his cheek.

"Damn you. DAMN YOU!" said Shaundi through clenched teeth. "How dare you say that I don't care?! If I didn't care, I wouldn't be here, RIGHT NOW, trying to talk some sense into you!"

She continued to glare at him. Her body shook with anger as she spoke. The Boss did his best to avoid her gaze.

"I know you're having a hard time, we all are." said Shaundi angrily. "But that does not give you the right to treat your friends, the people who have been with you from the very beginning, like shit."

Shaundi stepped closer to The Boss and pointed angrily at the floor. He continued to avoid her eyes.

"This isn't a game anymore." said Shaundi, her eyes burning into his skin. "It's no longer just about fun, parties, and running amuck. This is real life. There's no set course for us to follow. No one controls what we do. When shit gets thrown at us, we can either let it bring us down, or rise above it and become better people. Better human beings. It's time for you to grow up, be a man, and handle the cards you're dealt!"

Shaundi took a few angry breaths while glaring at The Boss before storming out of the room slamming the door behind her. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists in frustration. He let out a scream and knocked over several empty beer bottles on his dresser. They scattered on the floor. The Boss' face grew beet red and his eyes bloodshot. He sat down on the edge of his bed and put his face in his hands thinking of what Shaundi had told him. She'd told him what he needed to hear. The thing was, he wasn't sure he could handle it.


	44. An Order

**NOTE: I know this chapter took me a few days to post, but I've been very busy with school and a side project that pertains to the story. I will reveal what it is at the very end. Leave a review letting me know what you think of this chapter!**

GLITCH

Chapter 44: An Order

It was late. The Boss stood in his room tossing empty beer bottles into a trash bag. There were enough to fill the bag to the brim. He could barely tie the bag shut. Once the room was clean, he walked into the hallway and out to the front door. He was heading for the garbage shoot when he heard soft sobs coming from Asha's room. The Boss stopped inches from the front door and turned to the direction of the noise. He stood quietly listening to her before turning back to the door. He reached for the doorknob and hesitated when her sobs grew slightly louder. The Boss gently pulled his hand away from the door and dropped the trash bag on the floor. He slowly turned around and walked toward Asha's bedroom.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Matt, how many times to I have to tell you to go away?!" asked Asha. Her voice was raspy from crying. She was curled up on her bed. She softly raised a tissue to her face to wipe her eyes.

"I-It's me." said The Boss outside her door. "Are you...okay?"

Asha was surprised to hear his voice. She opened her mouth to speak and no words came out.

"Asha?" asked The Boss when he didn't get an answer.

"Go away." said Asha softly. "I'm fine."

"Open the door so I can see your face when you say that." said The Boss.

"I said I'm fine." said Asha defensively. Her voice cracked slightly.

"That's an order." said The Boss.

He stood quietly by the door and leaned in close to try and listen inside the room. His ear almost touched the door when Asha opened it. He stepped back to look at her. Her eyes were puffy and red. She had watery streaks on her cheeks. Theyshone silver in the moonlight peeking in from the tall windows of the apartment.

"I'm fine." said Asha forcing a smile. A small tear rolled down her cheek. The Boss stared at her.

"Why don't I believe you?" asked The Boss.

Asha closed her eyes and walked away from him leaving the door open to her room. He quietly stepped in to see tissues scattered on her bed. Dirty dishes from the meals Matt had brought her sat on her dresser. He looked up to see Asha leaning against the wall next to her bedroom window. Her arms were crossed and her eyes closed.

"What's bothering you?" asked The Boss. His voice sounded caring and it surprised him.

"Do you really have to ask?" asked Asha looking at his reflection in the window. "You saw what happened."

The Boss let out a breath before sitting on the edge of her bed. He clasp his hands together and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Yeah." said The Boss softly. "Yeah, I did."

Asha was still watching his reflection in the window. She gave him a curious stare and furrowed her brow. She opened her mouth to speak before The Boss cut her off.

"I didn't get it." said The Boss staring at the wall in front of him. "I didn't get what he meant."

"Who?" asked Asha.

"Other me...Knightley." said The Boss. "I didn't understand what he meant about truly seeing death."

Asha continued to watch him as he spoke.

"When...when Andrew died..." The Boss looked down at his hands. "...I didn't like the way it felt. I've never felt that way before. I wanted it to go away. It made me feel weak because I couldn't do anything to stop it."

Asha turned around to look at him. The moonlight shone through the window and illuminated his form on the bed. She slowly walked toward the bed and sat down beside him.

"I don't like feeling weak. I've never felt weak...ever." said The Boss. He turned his head to look at her. "I took out my frustration the group. I suppose I thought it would help me feel better. I wound up hitting my best friend."

Asha sat quietly on the bed and stared at him. He looked away from her.

"I-I know you're hurting." said The Boss. "I'm sorry."

He couldn't look at her when he apologized. Being nurturing wasn't something he was used to, especially in the real world. Asha looked at him in silence for a moment before looking at her hands. She raised them up slightly with her palms facing toward her.

"I can still see his blood on my hands." said Asha.

Her voice cracked hard before tears began to stream down her face again. The Boss didn't know what to do. He just sat quietly and watched her. She closed her eyes before leaning close to him. The Boss's body grew stiff at her touch. He felt her hands grip his shirt as she cried into his shoulder.

"Why didn't I give him a chance?" choked Asha.

The Boss felt a wet spot from on his shirt as tears fell from her eyes. He hesitated to console her, but slowly brought his arm up to wrap around her shoulders.

"You didn't know what was going to happen." said The Boss. He felt her grip tighter on his shirt.

He gently rubbed his hand on her back as she continued to cry.

"That's going to happen to us." said Asha after a moment. "It's hopeless. Death is inevitable here."

"Don't think that way." said The Boss. "This doesn't sound like the Asha I know. What happened to the tough agent from MI6?"

"She doesn't exist." said Asha pulling away from him.

"Bullshit." said The Boss. "I've fought alongside her ever since we got here."

He placed his hand on her chin and lifted her head to look at him. He remembered the words Shaundi had told him.

"This is no longer a game." said The Boss. "This world will change us, but we can't lose sight of who we really are. We can't let the things that happen to us, no matter how bad, bring us down. We have to keep fighting. We have to keep living, or else..."

"Or else what?" asked Asha.

"Or else, when we do die...our life would have been for nothing." said The Boss. He looked off at the realization of what he'd just said. He looked back at her and watched her wipe her eyes.

"I know you're upset about Andrew." said The Boss. "But if he taught us anything, it was to live in the moment. He enjoyed life and made every day fun."

He stood up from bed and looked down at her.

"You can't enjoy life if you're locked away in a bedroom." said The Boss. He turned to grab a box of tissues and sat back down. He began to wipe a tear from her cheek. Asha watched him out of the side of her eye.

"What happened to you?" asked Asha furrowing her brow. The Boss took a deep breath.

"I think I finally get it." said The Boss smiling. He pulled his hand away from her and gave her a stern look.

"Never stop fighting." said The Boss looking into her eyes. "That's an order."


	45. The Face of Death

**NOTE: A little more insight into Viola and Knightley. Again, I said in the last chapter that there would be more intense moments coming up. This is one of those. I promise, things will calm down very shortly...for a little while anyway :)**

GLITCH

Chapter 45: The Face of Death

**2 years ago...**

A shiny black car pulled up in front of a small family owned dry cleaners. The doors opened as Viola and Knightley stepped out of the car. Knightley checked his pistol before placing it in the hem of his pants behind his back. He looked at Viola as she readied her gun.

"You ready?" she asked him before placing her gun in a thigh holster under her skirt.

"It's just a simple pick up." said Knightley. "Let's do this."

They walked inside and saw three men behind the front counter. Walking side by side, Viola and Knightley kept their eyes forward eyeing the men. A burly man named Jo Rossi stepped up to the register.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a friendly smile.

"Are you Jo?" asked Viola. Jo smiled again.

"Yep, that's me. What can I help you with?" asked Jo.

"How 'bout forking over the money you owe Ike?" asked Knightley. Jo's smile disappeared as he stared at Viola and Knightley.

"I don't know any Ike." said Jo. "You've got the wrong guy."

Knightley and Viola pulled out their guns and aimed them at Jo. The men behind him stepped forward to defend him. Jo put his hands up.

"Now, wait a minute." said Jo breaking out into a sweat. "Hear me out. We can talk this through."

"We didn't come to talk." said Knightley. "We came to get the money you owe."

"I swear, I don't know what money you're talking about." said Jo.

"Then I guess you don't know about the drugs you've been peddling out of this little establishment either?" asked Viola.

"Drugs?" asked Jo. "This is just a dry cleaners. We clean clothes. We don't deal drugs."

"You're starting to piss me off, buddy." said Knightley. "Either get the money, or I give you another hole to breath out of."

"There's no need for that." said Jo. "I don't want any trouble. I-I got the money right here."

Jo backed away and Knightley lowered his gun. Viola stared at Jo for a moment before lowering hers. Jo knelt down behind the counter. The men behind him smiled when they heard a click of a gun.

"Oh, fuck me." said Knightley before Jo popped from behind the counter with a double-barreled shot-gun. The men behind him whipped out Uzis before opening fire on Knightley and Viola. They took cover behind a small magazine stand in the center of the room.

"I thought you said this was going to be a simple pick up?" asked Viola over the gunfire.

"Since when am I ever right about anything?" asked Knightley. Bits of wood whizzed past his head as bullets entered the stand. They continued to duck behind it before the gunfire stopped.

"You ain't gettin' that money!" yelled Jo. "I need it! Tell Ike to fuck off!"

"He's not going to like that." said Knightley still ducking behind cover.

"I don't give a shit." said Jo. "Now get the hell out of my store before I shoot you both to hell."

Knightley turned to Viola and readied his gun. She nodded before readying hers. They stood up together before opening fire on Jo and his men. Viola took out one of the men behind Jo before taking cover behind a shelf. Knightley ran forward firing his gun. He moved with accurate precision and took Jo down. The last of Jo's men kept firing. Viola came out of cover and killed him with a shot between the eyes. The two stood quietly in the room for a moment before turning to each other.

"Someone was bound to here that." said Viola about the gunfire.

"You're right." said Knightley. "Let's get Ike's money and get the hell out of here."

A soft rustle came from the back of the store. The two turned to each other before readying their guns again. They slowly made their way down a short hallway to a back office. The door to the office had a frosted glass window. Another noise left the room causing them to stop in their tracks. Without warning, several bullets shot through the door in their direction causing holes in the glass, but not shattering it. Knightley could see a dark shadow from behind the glass and fired several shots. A short yelp followed by a loud THUD could be heard from inside. He and Viola walked with caution toward the office door and opened it. Inside the room was a desk with a duffel bag full of money sitting on top of it. They could hear short gurgles coming from behind the desk. Knightley walked around it to see a woman choking on her own blood. One of his shots had pierced her throat. He slowly raised his gun to her head when he heard a soft murmur behind him. He turned to aim his gun at the noise. It was a little boy. It was Jo's son, Kevin.

"Mama?" asked Kevin. He was looking right at Viola. She stood completely still as the boy walked up to her. He waved his hands out in front of him as he walked.

"Mama?" he asked again. Viola looked at the boy's eyes. They were clouded over to a pale blue. He was blind.

"Mama, where are you?" asked Kevin as he continued to walk toward Viola. She continued to stay completely still. The woman on the floor made a short gurgling noise and got Kevin's attention before he reached Viola. He turned his head toward the noise and began to walk toward it. He walked until his feet his the woman's body before kneeling down beside her.

"Mama? Is that you?" asked Kevin. He placed his hands on the woman's body and felt a warm wetness on her clothes. The woman coughed up a bit of blood as she looked at her son.

Knightley stood quietly watching beside her. The woman looked up at him and he could see the fear and heartache in her eyes. Her son was about to become an orphan.

"Mama, come on. Get up." said Kevin. He searched for his mother's hand.

The woman looked back at her son and tears began to fall from her eyes. Kevin shook her hand. All he could hear were her gurgled noises. He felt her other hand touch his cheek. It felt warm and wet. The woman's tears grew more intense as she mouth the words "I love you" so her son. She sobbed and rubbed a bloody thumb on his cheek. She didn't want to leave him alone. She began to choke on the blood spewing up from her throat and coughed several times.

"Come on, mama. Get up." said Kevin again. He continued to shake her hand. The woman let out one last gurgle before her hand left his cheek. Small streaks of blood from her fingers stained his skin. Knightly watched the life leave her. Her eyes burned into his memory. He'd never forget the look of fear in her face.

"Mama, it's no time to sleep now." said Kevin shaking his mother's limp body. "Wake up."

The sound of police sirens echoed outside. Viola slowly turned to look at Knightley. The sirens caught his attention and he shook his head.

"We need to go." said Knightley. Kevin turned his head at the sound of his voice.

"What about him?" asked Viola pointing to Kevin. Knightley grabbed the money on the desk.

"The police will handle it." he said. "I don't want to be here when that happens."

Viola looked back at Kevin. He was staring in her direction, his pale blue eyes glaring right through her.

"C'mon!" yelled Knightley. Viola slowly backed away before turning to rush out of the room.

They ran outside to their car. Knightley slid on the hood to the driver's side as Viola jumped into the passenger's seat. They peeled away just in time before the cops arrived at the scene.

**Later that night...**

Knightley walked into his office and tossed his gun on his desk. Viola followed him in and saw him walk over to his liquor cabinet.

"Get me one too." said Viola as he poured a drink. Knightley grabbed another glass and poured her one as well. He walked over and handed her the glass.

"That was one hell of a job, huh?" asked Knightley nonchalantly before taking a drink. Viola scrunched her brow at his off the shoulder manner.

"Are you serious?" asked Viola.

"What?" asked Knightley.

"How can you be so calm about it?" asked Viola. "We just made that kid an orphan. We killed his parents."

"No." said Knightley softly. "YOU didn't do anything."

"What?" asked Viola surprised by his sudden change in tone.

"I made that kid an orphan." said Knightley. "I killed his parents. Not you."

Knightley finished his drink and stared at his empty glass. He scrunched his face and gripped the glass tightly in his hand. He let out a loud scream before throwing the glass across the room.

"I killed his parents." said Knightley again. He sat down in a chair and placed his head in his hands. "Her eyes are burned into my head."

Knightley lightly hit his forehead with his hands trying to rid his mind of the dying woman. Viola stared at him for a moment before setting her drink down on the desk. She walked over to him and knelt in front of him. She pulled his hands away from his face and looked at him. His eyes were red and watery from holding back tears. In the year since they'd entered the real world, this wast the first time she'd ever seen him show any sort of emotion, even though he tried hard to hide it. They had grown very close in the time they'd been on their own. All they had were each other to lean on. Two people can learn a lot about one another in that kind of situation. Yes, he was still an asshole at times, but he was beginning to grow on her. She looked into his eyes as she continued to kneel in front of him.

"We were doing our job." said Viola. "It wasn't your fault."

He looked at her and squinted his eyes. He didn't understand why she was being so comforting. She was never that way with him before, then again, he never showed the need for it. She continued to look into his eyes and placed a hand on his cheek.

"You're not alone in this." said Viola. "We're in this together."

Knightley looked into her eyes and without thinking leaned in to place a kiss on her lips. She pulled away from him surprised by his actions. She squinted her eyes and furrowed her brow as she stared at him.

"I-I'm sorry." said Knightley standing up from the chair. "God, I'm an idiot."

Viola stood up and watched him walk across the room to the liquor cabinet again. He poured himself another drink and she slowly stepped toward him. He turned with his drink to see her standing beside him. She gently took the drink from him and he watched her place it on the table next to them. He felt her place a hand on his cheek. She turned his head to look at her and looked into his eyes. They stood quietly staring at each other before Viola pulled him down for a short gentle kiss. She broke away from him and looked into his eyes again. She felt his strong hands grip her waist before he pulled her body hard against him. He slammed his lips onto hers as they began to explore each other's bodies for the first time.


	46. Remember, BM

**NOTE: I apologize for taking so long to update than normal. I've had some family issues arise and due to that updates may be a bit of kilter. I'm going to try and get back on a regular update schedule, but it might take a while. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this update. I mention a character I haven't talked about in a long time. I hope you remember him. Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 46: Remember, B.M.

It was morning and Matt stood outside Asha's bedroom with a plate of food. He was still trying desperately to get her to come out of her room. He knocked on the door and stood quietly waiting for her to answer him.

"Asha?" asked Matt. "I brought you some breakfast."

He waited for an answer and heard nothing. He knocked on her door again.

"Asha?" asked Matt. "Please, I know you're upset, but I hate that you can't talk to me."

Again, she didn't answer him.

"Asha?" he asked again. He heard a voice behind him.

"Yes?" asked Asha. Matt turned around to see Asha standing in front of him. She had just finished taking a shower and her wet hair hung in her face. She looked down to see the plate of food Matt had for her. She smiled and gently took it from him.

"Thank you." said Asha softly. She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Y-you're welcome." said Matt as Asha walked down the hallway to the living room. Matt smiled before following her. The Boss had called a meeting and everyone was gathering to talk with him. They stood in a group in the center of the living room as The Boss looked them over.

"We're still missing two people." said The Boss. The group exchanged looks.

"Who else is supposed to be here?" asked Johnny.

The door to the apartment opened and in walked Viola and Knightley. Knightley looked extremely pale, more so than usual, and the circles under his eyes had grown darker. He held his composure as he and Viola walked into the living room.

"All right, everyone is here." said The Boss. "We're going to go with Daniel's plan. We're going to build the robot."

"Body armor." corrected Kinzie.

"Whatever." said The Boss. "We're going to build it and Knightley here is going to pay for it."

The Boss looked at Knightley. Knightley nodded his head.

"Whatever you need. I'll take care of it." said Knightley. The Boss turned to look at Daniel.

"How soon can you build this thing?" he asked.

"Once we have all the equipment, probably a few weeks. Maybe less if we pull a few all nighters." said Daniel.

"Get to work." said The Boss. "We don't know when Zinyak plans to attack. I want that thing done as soon as possible."

Daniel nodded. He, Kinzie, and Matt walked to the kitchen to begin discussing the plans for the suit. The Boss turned to look at Johnny. He stared at the bruise on Johnny's cheek.

"Hey, man." said The Boss. Johnny crossed his arms. The Boss let out a breath.

"Look, I'm sorry." said The Boss. "I was a bit of an asshole yesterday."

"A bit?" asked Johnny.

"All right, I was a huge asshole." said The Boss. "I never should have hit you."

Johnny stared at The Boss with his arms still crossed for a moment before sighing.

"It's cool." said Johnny cracking a smile. "You're just lucky Pierce held me back."

"I would have deserved whatever you dished out." said The Boss.

The Boss smiled as he and Johnny shook each other's hand before giving one another a friendly hug. The hug lasted longer than they expected and Asha cleared her throat.

"Gentleman, you want a little privacy?" asked Asha with a smile.

Johnny and The Boss quickly separated. The Boss cleared his throat and gave Johnny a manly fist bump before turning to the rest of the group.

"Right." said The Boss. "Let's go see what we can do to help move things along. Daniel will need all the help he can get."

The group left the living room and walked into the kitchen. Daniel, Kinzie, and Matt were gathered around the kitchen table discussing the plans for the suit.

"I'm thinking about a titanium alloy for the outer exoskeleton with a steel plate underneath for stronger resistance." said Daniel. Matt wrote down what he said on a piece of paper.

"That's going to be a little heavy don't you think?" asked Kinzie flipping open her laptop.

"The suit is going to make whoever wears it 10x stronger than they actually are. Weight won't be a problem." said Daniel.

The trio turned to see the others enter the kitchen.

"How's it going?" asked The Boss.

"Good." said Daniel. "We have a list of items we'll need. Most of them can be bought through regular outlets online."

Matt gave the list to Knightley to look over. He scrunched his brow at the last item.

"What is a Wireless Energy Transferable Battery?" asked Knightley.

"That's going to be the power source for the suit." said Daniel. Viola looked over Knightley's shoulder at the list. She saw a side note scribbled next to the last item.

"Wait, this says you need to be around a nuclear reactor in order for that to work." said Viola. "Aren't those typically really big?"

"Not necessarily." said Daniel smiling. "The suit needs to be around a power source strong enough to send a charge to continuously power the battery for a large amount of time."

"Yeah?" asked The Boss waiting for him to elaborate.

"There is a way to get the power of a nuclear reactor in a small package to allow for more mobility." said Daniel. "The thing is, there's only one in existance and it's locked away in a government lab."

"You're not making me feel very confident about this plan." said The Boss. "How exactly are we supposed to get our hands on this thing? There not just going to let us waltz in there and take it."

"I know." said Daniel. "You won't have to. I can build it."

"How?" asked Kinzie.

"I'm the one that designed it." said Daniel. "That was the project Brandon and I were working on in college. This reactor could power entire cities if it needed to."

"Wait, so that's the idea Brandon stole from you?" asked Matt.

"What a dick." said Ben.

"Why isn't this thing more well-known?" asked Kinzie. "Aren't people always on the look out for clean sources of energy? That's the answer right there."

"That was my plan for it." said Daniel. "Brandon had other plans. He took the idea and sold it to the highest bidder. He only cared about money and the government was able to give it to him."

"I hope the little prick is enjoying his time in prison." said Johnny. Daniel smiled at his comment.

"Are you sure this battery thing will work?" asked The Boss.

"Positive." said Daniel smiling. He glanced at Shaundi. She was staring at him with a small grin on her face.

"Then that's good enough for me." said The Boss. The group dispersed and Daniel watched as Shaundi slowly sauntered over to him. She was still smiling. Daniel raised his eyebrow at her.

"What?" asked Daniel.

"Nothing." said Shaundi biting her lip. "I just never knew a man with a brain could be so sexy."

Daniel smiled at her as she looked at him through sensual eyes. Their moment was soon interrupted by intense coughing coming from behind them. They turned to see Knightley doubling over in pain as he violently hacked up a spurt of blood. A small spray of red covered the papers on the kitchen table. Knightly's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed on the floor. Viola rushed over to help him.

"Help me get him to the couch." said Viola urgently. Daniel and Shaundi ran over to help him.

"He needs a doctor." said Shaundi.

"He's seen enough doctors." said Viola as they lifted him off the floor.

They gently carried him to the living room and lay him on the couch. Viola placed her hands on his cheeks. Knightley opened his eyes slightly before closing them again. He was gasping for air. Viola searched his pockets.

"Where the hell is it?" asked Viola continuing to frantically search him. She finally found a small inhaler. She lifted his head to look at her.

"Baby, come on." said Viola. "Open your mouth so I can help you."

Knightley was still gasping for air but was able to open his mouth for her. Viola placed the inhaler on his lips and gave him a puff. Knightley inhaled it the best he could. She gave him another puff and he began to relax slightly. His breathing was still heavy.

"I know you're tired, but you need to sit up." said Viola placing a couch pillow behind him. Daniel helped her lift him up to help expand his airway. Once he was situated she searched her purse and found a bottle of pain meds.

"Can I get a glass of milk?" asked Viola. "He needs to take these with a meal and I can't get him to eat. Milk will help keep him from getting sick."

Shaundi nodded and went back into the kitchen. She quickly returned with small glass of milk. Viola poured a dose of pain meds into her hand and lifted Knightley's head again. He shook his head and grunted.

"I know you don't like them, but you need to take them." said Viola. Knightley looked at her through tired eyes and did as he was told. Once he finished the milk, Viola lifted him up again and sat down on the couch. She placed the pillow in her lap and let him rest his head on it. She let out a long breath before looking at Daniel and Shaundi.

"He'll be okay." said Viola giving a reassuring smile. "Give him a minute to rest and we'll get started on getting you the items you need."

Daniel nodded and smiled. He glanced at Shaundi and gently caressed her arm before walking back to the kitchen. Shaundi watched him leave before turning her attention back to Viola. She was looking down at Knightley. He had fallen asleep and she was gently stroking his hair.

"He hates taking those pills because they make him so tired." said Viola sensing Shaundi's stare.

Viola softly caressed his cheek and looked up at her.

"Sleep is what he needs." said Viola. Shaundi scrunched her brow and sat down on the edge of the coffee table.

"I have to ask." said Shaundi. "How exactly did you two..."

"You mean, how did I end up falling in love with a man known for being an arrogant, egotistical psychopath?" asked Viola. "I've often wondered that myself."

Viola looked back at Knightley and smiled softly.

"We've been through a lot together." said Viola. "I mean, there we were, two people in a strange world with only each other to lean on. We took care of each other. I guess something like this was bound to happen, but it was still so unexpected. We've experienced a lot in our time here. He's not the same man he used to be, nor am I the same woman. This world changes you. Stay here long enough, you learn things about yourself that you never knew existed."


	47. Baked Goods

**NOTE: I hope you like this chapter! I brought a bit of the humor back and I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think!**

GLITCH

Chapter 47: Baked Goods

Daniel and The Saints pulled up in front of Andrew's house. Viola and Knightley were with them. The house was dark and quiet as they walked up to the front door. Daniel pulled out Andrew's car keys. There were still dried remnants of his blood on them. Daniel closed his eyes and took a breath before inserting the key into the lock. The door creaked open and the group hesitated to enter. Daniel turned to the group and nodded before stepping through the door.

"What are we looking for again?" whispered Matt.

"The plans for the reactor." whispered Kinzie.

"How the hell are we supposed to find anything in here?" whispered Pierce. He looked around at the stacks of newspapers and other cluttered items around the house.

"We'll just have to work fast." whispered Kinzie. Asha leaned close to them.

"Why is everyone whispering?" asked Asha quietly. Kinzie, Pierce, and Matt looked at each other.

"I don't know." said Kinzie shrugging her shoulders. "It's just a little weird being here without Andrew."

Asha nodded as the group gathered in the living room around Daniel.

"Okay, I think we'll cover more ground if we spread out." he told them. "Shaundi, Asha, and I will take the upstairs. There's more stuff to look through down here, so I think it would be best if you guys handle downstairs. If we don't find anything, we'll come back to help you."

"Wait." said Kinzie. "Why exactly does Andrew have the plans anyway?"

"After Brandon sold the reactor, I got pissed and tried to set them on fire." said Daniel. "Andrew ripped them from my hands before I had a chance. He, being the person that he was, wanted to keep them. He said they'd come in handy again one day."

"Smart guy." said The Boss. Everyone smiled before dispersing throughout the house.

Daniel, Shaundi, and Asha walked upstairs to Andrew's bedroom while the others looked downstairs. Knightley leaned against the wall and let out a small cough before closing his eyes. Viola walked over to him and placed a hand on his cheek.

"You should have stayed behind." said Viola noticing how fatigued he was. "You had a pretty bid episode today. You need to rest."

"I want to help." said Knightley. He gave her a small smile. "I'm okay. I'll be fine."

Knightley gently pushed himself away from the wall to go help the group search the house. In the kitchen, Pierce and Kinzie were searching random boxes stacked throughout the room. Pierce opened a box before noticing a plate of brownies on the kitchen counter. They were wrapped in green plastic cling wrap. He stepped toward the counter and lifted the wrap from the brownies. He picked one up and sniffed it.

"Hmmm." said Pierce. "These don't smell half bad."

Kinzie looked up from a box and saw Pierce take a bite of the brownie. His eyes grew wide as he chewed it.

"What? Is it bad? Who knows how long those have sat there." asked Kinzie. Pierce shook his head.

"No, these are awesome." said Pierce. "They're a little stale, but they taste great!"

Kinzie scrunched her brow and walked up to him. He held a brownie out for her to take a bite.

"Go on." said Pierce with his mouth full. "I'm telling you these are awesome!"

Kinzie opened her mouth and hesitated to take a bite before Pierce shoved the brownie in her mouth. She started to chew and smiled as they chocolatey flavor hit her taste buds.

"Wow." said Kinzie before taking another bite.

"What did I tell you?" asked Pierce still chewing.

"What's going on in here?" asked The Boss as he and the others came into the kitchen. Pierce grabbed the plate of brownies.

"Dude, you have to try one of these." said Pierce. The Boss looked a Pierce and squinted his eyes. He hesitantly took a brownie and sniffed it before taking a small bite.

"Damn." said The Boss. "Andrew may have been a messy guy, but he sure knew how to bake."

He motioned for the rest to take a brownie. They each grabbed one, except for Viola and Knightley. They watched as the others took a bite and began to scarf the rest down. The Boss turned to them.

"C'mon." said The Boss when there were only a few left on the plate. He nudged Knightley on the shoulder. "You're skinny as a rail. Eat one."

Viola looked at Knightley as The Boss lifted the plate to him.

"I don't feel like eating." said Knightley pushing the plate away. The Boss shoved the plate toward him.

"Eat one." said The Boss. "You'll like it."

Knightley reluctantly grabbed a brownie and lifted it to his lips. Viola raised her eyebrows and smiled as the group started to chant.

"Eat it. Eat it. Eat it." said the group. Knightley took a bite and they applauded him.

"What do you think?" asked Viola with a smile.

"It's good." said Knightley before taking another bite. "Give me another one."

"Eat up, man." said The Boss placing the plate down in front of him. Knightley grabbed another brownie and scarfed it down. He didn't realize how hungry he was.

xxxxxxxx

Upstairs, Daniel and Shaundi were in Andrew's bedroom. They heard screams downstairs and exchanged smiles as they searched his belongings. Shaundi opened a box of old clothes. On top of the clothes was an old framed picture of several young boys fishing on a river. Daniel walked up and peered over her shoulder.

"I remember that day." said Daniel. "That was the last day of summer before we started Junior High...wow."

"What?" asked Shaundi looking at him. He smiled and gently took the picture from her.

"Nothing, I'd just forgotten. That was a fun day." said Daniel smiling. He pointed to a young boy making a fish face and crossing his eyes.

"That's Andrew." said Daniel. Shaundi looked at the picture and smiled. She squinted her eyes and looked at the other boys in the picture.

"Where are you?" asked Shaundi. Daniel looked at her for a moment before pointing to a chubby boy next to Andrew.

"That's me." said Daniel. Shaundi took the picture from him. She looked at the younger version of him and how his chubby cheeks dimpled with his huge smile.

"You're adorable." said Shaundi smiling.

"You don't have to be so nice about it." said Daniel. "I was fat."

"No, you were just a kid, Daniel." said Shaundi still looking at the picture.

"I was a fat kid." said Daniel. Shaundi looked up at him.

"You were cute." said Shaundi smiling gently.

"What about now?" asked Daniel placing the picture back into the box. He gently placed his hands on her waist. "You still think I'm cute?"

Shaundi smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Daniel raised his brow and pulled her closer to him.

"Very." said Shaundi softly. She leaned in to kiss him before Asha came into the room.

"Whoops, sorry." said Asha covering her eyes. Daniel and Shaundi separated before turning to Asha.

"What's up?" asked Daniel.

"I didn't find anything in the guest room. Unless you count several porno mags." said Asha.

"You didn't touch any of those did you?" asked Daniel.

"Why?" asked Asha.

"I'm just saying, if you did, you might want to wash your hands." said Daniel. Asha lifted her hands and looked at her palms.

"I'll...be right back." said Asha before leaving the room. Daniel laughed and heard a rustling behind him.

"Hey, what's this?" asked Shaundi pulling out a cardboard cylinder from inside Andrew's closet. She held it up and Daniel took it from her. He opened it and pulled out several rolled up papers before spreading them out on the bed.

"This is it." said Daniel smiling. He looked at Shaundi and kissed her cheek before staring triumphantly at the plans. He put them back into the cylinder and they made their way downstairs. They heard some commotion coming from the kitchen and found the others gathered around the table.

"What's going on?" asked Daniel. The group looked up at him as they continued to shove brownies into their mouths.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted." said Matt. Daniel looked at the plate in front of them as they continued to shove brownies into their mouths.

"Where did you get those?" asked Daniel pointing to the brownies in their hands.

"Pierce found them sitting on the counter." said Johnny.

"Were they covered in green plastic wrap?" asked Daniel.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" asked Pierce licking his fingers. Daniel sighed.

"Those were Andrew's special brownies." said Daniel.

"They're special all right." said Pierce. "They're fucking delicious."

"No, those brownies have weed in them." said Daniel. "They're hash brownies."

The group stopped eating and stared at him. Shaundi smiled and covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Asha snickered and grinned at the news.

"They're what brownies?" asked Matt.

"Hash brownies." said Daniel. "Andrew not only liked to smoke pot, he liked to eat it too."

Knightley dropped what was left of his brownie on the plate.

"How many of those did you eat?" asked Daniel.

"Uh, I had one." said The Boss. "I don't know how many the others had. Why?"

"He made those pretty potent." said Daniel. "One brownie is the equivalent of two joints."

"I had three of those." said Knightley. The Boss looked at him.

"Then you should be feeling pretty good here in a few minutes." said The Boss. Knightley sat down in a chair and placed his head in his hands.

"Well, we found the plans." said Daniel. "We should probably be heading back."

"Sounds good." said The Boss. He reached for his keys and Daniel took them from him.

"I think it might be best of Asha drives you back." said Daniel. The Boss shook his head and blinked a few times. He was starting to feel the effects of the brownies.

"Yeah...that sounds like a good idea." said The Boss. He turned to Shaundi.

"Sorry we didn't save you any, Shaundi." said The Boss as he left the kitchen. "Old you would have loved them, but then I remembered that having fun isn't exactly your thing anymore."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked Shaundi. She crossed her arms as she watched him leave. She turned to the rest of the group and put her hands on her hips. Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll meet you at the car." said Daniel before leaving the house.

"What does he mean I'm not fun anymore?" she asked.

The group avoided her eyes and quietly walked out of the kitchen. Shaundi scrunched her brow at their lack of an answer. She watched them leave before turning to look at the plate of brownies. There were two left. One had a bite taken out of it. Shaundi looked toward the front door and bit her lip before slowly walking to the table. She peaked at the front door again and reached for a brownie. She brought it up to her mouth and hesitated to take a bite. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening her mouth.

"Couldn't resist could ya?" asked Daniel smiling from the kitchen doorway. Shaundi jumped and dropped the brownie on the plate before it even hit her lips. She smiled awkwardly and wiped the crumbs from the brownie on her pants.

"I figured, what could one bite hurt?" asked Shaundi. Daniel smiled again.

"Go ahead." said Daniel. "I won't tell anybody."

Shaundi looked at the brownie and back at him. He raised his brow waiting for her to make a move.

"No." said Shaundi walking toward him. "I'm good."

She placed a hand on his cheek and gave him a soft kiss before walking away. Daniel smiled and looked at the plate of brownies. He looked around the house and saw a picture of him and Andrew. He looked at it and smiled.

"I miss ya, buddy." said Daniel picking the picture up. "Watch over us okay? We need all the help we can get."


	48. A Life So Changed

GLITCH

Chapter 48: A Life So Changed

The Saints arrived at Daniel's house. They had just come from Andrew's place and were really feeling the effects of the hash brownies. Pierce got out of the car and lost his footing causing him to fall down on the driveway.

"Oh, shit." said Pierce trying to catch himself. He fell hard onto the pavement and broke out in laughter. Kinzie stepped out of the car and saw him on the ground.

"Whoopsies." said Kinzie smiling. She pointed to him and laughed before holding her hand out offering to help him up. He smiled and pulled her down to him causing her to let out a short, high-pitched scream. She fell on top of him and they continued to laugh.

Matt got out of the car and tried to put on his jacket. He slipped one arm in, but couldn't figure out how to slip the other one in.

"There's something wrong with my jacket." said Matt trying to put his other arm inside. Asha pointed to him.

"Matt, you're putting your jacket on backwards." said Asha. Matt looked down and saw what she meant.

"Oh, thank you." said Matt. He slipped his other arm in the jacket without turning it around.

"That's better." said Matt smiling. Asha looked at him before turning to Daniel. She leaned in close to him as he unlocked the front door.

"I don't think you're going to be getting much help from them tonight." said Asha. "They're smashed."

Daniel stared at the group. The Boss was passed out in the front seat of his car with his mouth hanging open. A stream of drool fell from his mouth. Johnny and Ben got out of the car. Johnny stared at the top of Ben's head.

"Woah." said Johnny. "I never realized how shiny your head is."

Johnny began to rub the top of Ben's head and smiled.

"It's so smooth." said Johnny.

Daniel turned back to Asha and nodded.

"You're right." said Daniel. "Why don't you take them home and let them sober up? We can get started first thing in the morning."

"Right." said Asha. She walked back to the group and rounded them up. Daniel turned to see Knightley walk into his house. He followed him inside. Shaundi and Viola were already in the living room when he walked in. Daniel turned to see Knightley sitting on the couch rubbing his hands on the fabric.

"This is a nice couch. It's so soft." said Knightley. He leaned down and rubbed his face on the arm of the couch.

"Thank you." said Daniel turning to look at Shaundi. She raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Baby? Are you feeling all right?" asked Viola stepping closer to Knightley. He lifted his head and stared at her.

"I feel...relaxed." said Knightley. His voice was low and somber as if he had just woke up from a deep sleep. He sat down on the couch and kicked his shoes off.

"It's comfortable." said Knightley resting his elbow on the arm of the couch. He looked around the room and smiled. "I like it here."

Viola turned to Daniel and Shaundi for a moment. They exchanged looks before she turned back to him.

"Come on." said Viola walking over to him. "I think we should be heading back."

"Where are we going?" asked Knightley.

"I think I should take you home." said Viola trying to lift him off the couch.

"I don't want to go home." said Knightley. "I want to stay here."

Viola let out a small grunt as she tried to lift him up. He let his body relax making him dead weight in her arms. Daniel stepped forward.

"You guys can stay here tonight if you want." said Daniel. "We have an extra bedroom."

Knightley looked up at Viola and gave her a big smile. She looked down at him and let out a breath.

"Thank you." said Viola turning to Daniel. She resumed trying to get him off the couch.

"What are you doing now?" asked Knightley as she lifted his arm up around her shoulders.

"I'm trying to get you to bed." said Viola. "You want to help me out?"

"I think I'd rather sleep here." said Knightley patting the couch. Shaundi let out a small laugh.

"I'll go get you a pillow and a couple of blankets." said Shaundi smiling. She left the room and returned with two blankets and a couple of pillows.

"The couch pulls out." said Shaundi. "It's pretty comfortable. I slept on it for a while after I came here."

"Thank you." said Viola taking the blankets from her. Shaundi smiled and stepped back. The four of them exchanged looks for a moment before Shaundi cleared her throat.

"Well, I think I'm going to head to bed." said Shaundi. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"I like the sound of that." said Daniel smiling at her. He turned to Viola and Knightley. "Good night."

"Good night." said Viola.

"The bathroom is the first door on the left down the hallway and the kitchen is in the next room if you need a glass of water or anything." said Daniel.

"Thank you." said Viola softly.

"You're welcome." said Daniel. He and Shaundi smiled at them before leaving the room.

Viola looked at Knightley. He was still smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back.

"You look happy." said Viola. "That's something I haven't seen from you in a while."

He continued to smile at her and reached up to grab her hand. He patted the seat next to him.

"Come sit with me." said Knightley. "I want to tell you something."

Viola furrowed her brow and sat down beside him. She set the blankets on the coffee table and waited for him to speak.

"I'm really high." said Knightley. Viola let out a laugh.

"You think?" asked Viola smiling. He reached out and gently grabbed her hand. She quit laughing and looked down to see him gently caressing her hand with his thumb. She looked back at him.

"Before this wears off and I lose the courage, I wanted to make sure I tell you that I'm glad you're here." said Knightley. "I know I don't tell you that very often, if ever, but I am. I'm thankful that you've stuck by me all these years. I know I can be hard to handle sometimes."

Viola tilted her head and placed her hand on his cheek. She softly caressed it and looked into his eyes.

"I love you." said Viola.

"I don't deserve your love." said Knightley.

"Don't say that." said Viola. He pulled her hand away from him.

"It's true." said Knightley. "You do everything for me and never ask for anything in return. I'm selfish. I was willing to kill people I cared about in order to save my own ass. A person who would do that doesn't deserve you."

Viola leaned in to kiss him before he could say another word. She closed her eyes tightly and gripped his face in her hands. She pulled away from him after a moment and looked deep into his eyes.

"Neither of us planned for this to happen, but I'm glad it did. You've changed my life. You've given me something real, something I never would have experienced had it not been for our time here." said Viola.

"What?" asked Knightley.

"The chance to fall in love." said Viola. "And you're wrong, EVERYONE deserves to be loved. Even you."

Knightley stared into her eyes and grabbed her hand again. He could feel a lump forming in his throat.

"I don't want to leave you." said Knightley. "I do love you. I love you very much. I don't want to leave you alone."

Viola saw a tear fall down his cheek and she gently wiped it away with her thumb. She leaned down and softly kissed his lips. Knightley closed his eyes and brought a hand up to her cheek before she pulled away from him. The looked into each other's eyes again before Knightley pulled her down again for a more intense kiss. Viola let out a soft moan in surprise and her eyes fluttered slightly. He pulled her close to him and leaned back on the couch. She straddled his waist and continued to kiss him. The kiss grew more intense as she felt Knightley's hands run up her thighs under her skirt. She began to softly move her hips against his as she began to undo his shirt. After undoing a few buttons, she ran her hands along the inside of the fabric and caressed his chest. He lifted her shirt up over her head causing them to break their kiss for a moment. He tossed her shirt off to the side before pulling her back down to him. Viola continued to remove his shirt. He leaned forward to remove his arms from the sleeves. Without breaking the kiss, Viola removed her bra and tossed it behind her. Knightley ran his hands along her back as she reached for his belt buckle. She undid his belt and pulled it out of the loops in his pants before letting it fall to the floor. She could hear his breathing getting faster and pulled away from him.

"We should stop." said Viola placing her hands on his chest. He reached up to caress her cheek.

"I'm all right." said Knightley. "For once, I'm really okay."

He smiled at her before slowly pulling her down to him. She closed her eyes as their lips met and relished the moment. It had seemed like an eternity since they were able to be together in this way. She felt herself get goosebumps from the intense pleasure she was feeling by only his touch. Their kiss intensified and Viola undid his pants. She felt him reach under her skirt and grab the hem of her panties. He pulled them down and Viola stood up to remove them. She grabbed the legs of his pants and pulled them off. He removed his underwear as she took off her skirt. He kicked his underwear off his feet and pulled her back on top of him. She slowly straddled his waist again before lowering herself onto him. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth to let out a breath filled moan as she gently moved her hips. Knightley watched her as she rode him. He was happy at the pleasure she was feeling. She continued to keep her eyes closed and slightly increased her speed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her breast. She felt his warm breath against him before feeling his tongue lap at her skin. His touch caused her move even faster and close to climax. Knightley could feel himself grow close as well with each movement of her hips. He pulled her back down to his lips and wrapped his arms around her. She moved faster and harder until she felt herself tighten around him as she climaxed. She let out several staggered breaths as she came and her body trembled in pleasure. Knightley let himself go inside her and they relaxed their bodies. He held her close to him as she rested her head on his shoulder. She could hear him breathing. It was unsteady and she could feel his body shaking in their embrace. She sat up and softly caressed his cheek.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You're shaking."

"I'll be all right." he told her in small breaths. "I'll be fine."

Viola leaned down to kiss his forehead before grabbing a pillow. She placed it against the arm of the couch and lay back on it pulling Knightley down with her. Catching his breath, he lay his head on her chest as she pulled a blanket on top of them. He let out a small cough before closing his eyes and letting himself relax on top of her. She ran her fingers through his hair and let out a small sigh.

"I love you." said Viola softly. Knightley didn't answer her. She looked down to see him fast asleep. He let out raspy breaths, but his breathing was steady. She lay her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes. She continued to stroke his hair until she fell asleep.

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The next morning, Viola awoke to the smell of coffee brewing. She stretched and noticed Knightley still asleep on top of her. She gently moved him aside to get up and covered him with the blanket. She gently caressed his hair before putting on his shirt. She walked into the kitchen to see Shaundi pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning." said Shaundi. "You want some coffee? It's about all Daniel has right now."

"I'd love some, thank you." said Viola. Shaundi poured her a cup and handed it to her with a smile.

"How'd you sleep?" asked Shaundi before taking a sip of coffee. Viola gave her a thoughtful smile and blushed slightly.

"Just fine." said Viola. A loud crash came from the basement and Shaundi ran to the doorway.

"Daniel? Are you okay?" asked Shaundi. Daniel popped his head to the bottom of the stairwell and gave her thumbs up. He was covered in dust.

"I'm good." said Daniel with a small cough. "Everything's fine."

He disappeared behind the stairs and she heard several clanging noises. She smiled and turned back to Viola.

"Is everything okay?" asked Viola. Shaundi nodded.

"Yeah, he's just getting everything ready for when the other's arrive." said Shaundi. "They should be here soon."

"Okay, I should probably get dressed then." said Viola. Shaundi smiled.

"After you do that, Daniel and I were talking about going out to get breakfast." said Shaundi. "He doesn't have any food here at the moment. We were waiting to see what everyone wanted to do."

"That sounds fine with me." said Viola. "I'll see what-"

Viola quit talking when she noticed Shaundi's expression change. She was looking toward the kitchen archway and had a worried look on her face. Viola turned around to see Knightley standing naked in front of her. He was wobbling side to side and looked disoriented.

"Vi?" asked Knightley in a raspy voice. He coughed and a large amount of blood left his mouth. Viola dropped her cup of coffee causing it to shatter on the floor and ran over to him.

Knightley's eyes rolled back into his head before he collapsed. Viola was unable to reach him in time and he hit his head on the tile floor. She knelt by him and shook his body.

"Baby?" she asked. "Come on sweetheart look at me."

She placed her hands on his face and gently rubbed his cheek.

"Look at me, babe." said Viola. She lifted his eyelids and nothing. He didn't respond. Shaundi reached for her phone.

"What are you doing?" asked Viola.

"I'm calling an ambulance." said Shaundi.

"No." said Viola.

"He needs a doctor." said Shaundi dialing 911.

"There's a number for his doctor in my purse." said Viola pointing toward the living room. "It's on the coffee table."

She turned back to Knightley and continued to try to wake him up as Shaundi ran into the living room.

"Baby, please, look at me." said Viola. His body continued to lay limp on the floor. She felt tear form in her eyes.

"Don't leave." choked Viola. "Please, don't leave me."

She lifted him up into her arms and held him close to her. She rocked him back and forth as tears fell down her cheeks.

"I don't want you to leave me." said Viola. "Not yet."

Shaundi ran back into the kitchen with a business card for his doctor. She began to dial and stopped to look at Viola. She was still rocking Knightley back and forth in her arms. Daniel ran upstairs at the sound of her crying and stopped in the doorway when he saw what had happened. He watched Viola for a moment before looking at Shaundi. The exchanged looks of concern before Shaundi finished dialing the number for the doctor. The phone began to ring and Shaundi continued to watch Viola tightened her grasp on Knightley. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his.

"I'm not ready." said Viola. Her voice cracked from crying. "I'm not ready to be alone."


	49. House Call

**NOTE: Let me know what you think of this chapter! Things are really going to kick into high gear beginning next chapter. We're very close to the end :(**

GLITCH

Chapter 49:House Call

Viola and The Saints sat quietly in Daniel's living room waiting for Knightley's doctor, Dr. Schultz, to come out of the guest room. Viola paced the floor with her hand over her mouth and her other hand holding her stomach. The others silently watched her until they heard the door open and footsteps come down the hallway. Dr. Shultz entered the living room and everyone stood up. Viola turned and rushed over to him.

"Is he okay?" asked Viola.

"He hit his head pretty hard in the fall, but he's fine...for now." said Dr. Schultz. He closed his eyes and looked at the floor. He sighed and Viola stared at him.

"What aren't you telling me?" asked Viola. Dr. Schultz lifted his head to look at her.

"He doesn't have much time left." said Dr. Schultz. "I'd be surprised if he lasts the month."

"That's only two weeks." said Matt.

"Yes." said Dr. Schultz. Viola's mouth went agape and she took a step back. She placed a hand over her mouth and fought back tears.

"There has to be something more you can do." said Shaundi. Daniel placed his arm around her and pulled her close to him. He could sense the concern in her voice.

"I'm afraid there isn't." said Dr. Schultz.

"Shouldn't he be in a hospital?" asked Johnny. "If he really is as bad as you say, then isn't that where he should be?"

"There isn't anything they can do for him that hasn't already been done, other than prolong the inevitable." said Dr. Schultz. "His illness is terminal. I'd rather him live out the rest of his days here, with the people who care about him, than in a cold hospital room."

The group was quiet for a moment except for the quiet sniffles from Viola. Asha grabbed a box of tissues from the coffee table and held it out for her. Viola forced a smiled and took a tissue to wipe her eyes. Shaundi turned back to the doctor.

"What can we do to help him?" asked Shaundi.

"Make him comfortable." said Dr. Schultz. "Talk to him, try to keep his mind off the pain. Make sure he takes his medication and that he gets plenty of rest. There's not much else you can do."

He looked at Daniel.

"I would say to take him home, but in his current state I think it would be best if he stays here." said Dr. Schultz. "The trip might be too much for him to handle."

"He can stay here." said Daniel softly. Dr. Schultz placed a gentle hand on Viola's shoulder.

"He is a good man." said Dr. Schultz. "I'm sorry there wasn't more I could do."

Viola nodded and crossed her arms before looking at the floor. She closed her eyes and let out a breath. Dr. Schultz checked his watch and turned to them.

"I have a surgery in an hour." said Dr. Schultz. "If I don't leave now I'll never beat the traffic. Please, call me if there are any problems."

"Thank you, doctor." said Daniel before showing him to the door. Before opening it, Dr. Schultz turned to him.

"One more thing." said Dr. Schultz. "Keep an eye on her."

He pointed to Viola who was still trying to hold back tears. She failed as a few fell down her cheeks.

"She's a strong woman, but from my experience, it's the strong ones that need the most comfort in times like this." said Dr. Schultz. "I don't think she has anyone else."

"We will." said Daniel. "Thanks for coming, I wasn't even sure doctors still made house calls."

"They don't." said Dr. Schultz. "I made an exception on account of her."

He pointed to Viola again. Daniel turned to look at her as the doctor continued to speak.

"In this business, you get used to giving people bad news. However, in all my years as a doctor, I'd never seen someone as hurt as she was the day I told them the treatments didn't work. The look on her face was heartbreaking. Up until that point, she was like a rock, I didn't think anything could phase her. After I broke the news that he was going to die, she excused herself from my office. Not long after, the whole floor could hear her crying from the bathroom." said Dr. Schultz. "Knightley seemed more upset about how she was feeling, than about the news of him dying. He said that they only had each other and if he died, she'd be alone. He said he loved her too much to do that to her. I think it's that reason alone that he's lasted as long as he has."

Daniel turned back to the doctor.

"I like to think that if my wife or I ever got cancer, that our doctor would do whatever he could to take our best interests at heart." said Dr. Schultz. "He's had his fill of hospitals and I don't think they're in her best interest either. It's best if they're in a place that's comfortable for them to spend their last days together."

Daniel nodded in agreement and the doctor checked his watch again.

"I'm running late and have to go." said Dr. Schultz. "Give me a call if there are any problems."

"Sure thing." said Daniel before opening the door for him. The doctor left and Daniel shut the door. He turned to see Viola walking down the hallway to the guest room. Daniel watched her for a moment and sighed before turning to Shaundi. She caught him looking at her and they stared at each other in silence. Daniel slowly walked toward her and placed a hand on her cheek.

"I love you." he said quietly. He leaned down to kiss her forehead before pulling her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating and closed her eyes.

xxxxxxxxx

Viola opened the door to the guest room and stepped inside. Knightley was resting quietly. He had tubes coming from his nose that were hooked to an oxygen tank. She stood at the foot of the bed and watched him sleep. His breathing was shallow and restricted. Viola tightened her lips together and looked away from him as tears began to form in her eyes again.

"Vi?" asked Knightley in a raspy voice. Viola quickly wiped her eyes and walked over to him.

"Hey, baby." said Viola softly. She sat down beside him on the bed and grabbed his hand.

"What happened?" asked Knightley. His eyes were tired and he could barely lift his head.

"You had an episode." said Viola gently caressing his arm. "Dr. Schultz had to come by."

"If he had to come it must have been pretty bad." said Knightley. Viola looked away from him and wiped a tear that fell on her cheek.

"How long did he say I have this time?" asked Knightley. Viola turned back to him.

"Don't worry about that." said Viola placing a hand on his cheek.

"Viola?" asked Knightley. Viola took her hand away and avoided his eyes. He reached up and turned her to face him.

"How long?" asked Knightley. She closed her eyes and grabbed his hand.

"Two weeks." said Viola quietly. Knightley looked away from her and swallowed hard.

"Two weeks." said Knightley. He looked back at Viola and tightened his grip on her hand. She looked at him and her bottom lip began to quiver.

"I love you." said Viola as tears began to pour from her eyes. He pulled her down to him and wrapped her in his arms.

"It's going to be okay." said Knightley. She rested her head on his chest as she sobbed.

"I don't want you to leave me." she cried.

"I don't want to leave you either." said Knightley. He gently stroked her hair as he hugged her.

"Hey, look at me." said Knightley after a moment. He lifted her chin for her to look at him. He wiped a tear away with his thumb. "I'm still here. I want our last moments together to be happy. I don't want to see you cry."

Viola wiped her eyes and did her best to smile. Knightley smiled back at her and pulled her down until she was laying beside him. He wrapped his arm around her to bring her closer. She placed her head on his shoulder and looked up at him. His eyes were closed. She watched him quietly for a moment before feeling another tear fall down her cheek. She closed her eyes and pulled his arm tighter around her. She lay silently in his embrace and wished time would freeze so that she'd never have to leave his side.


End file.
